1. Dental caries or tooth decay is a public health problem in India with a prevalence as high as 60- 80% in Indian children, a figure far more than asthma.
2. 30% school going children suffer from mal-aligned teeth and jaws affecting proper functioning of the dento-facial apparatus.
3. Prevalence of Nursing Bottle Caries/Early Childhood Caries was 21%.
4. Feeding practices showed 73,7% were predominantly breast fed and 30,5% were predominantly bottle fed.
5. Children in the breast fed group had a caries prevalence of 42,9%, compared to the bottle fed group with a caries prevalence of 31%.

Did you know that your 'baby' or ‘milk' teeth usually start to appear when the child is around 6 months old. All 20 baby teeth should appear by the age of 2. All children are different and develop at different rates.

Did you know that primary teeth are not “just baby\milk teeth.” These are important as space maintainers for permanent teeth and in development of speech, mastication, esthetics and psychological well being.

Did you know that the spacing between children’s baby teeth is important because it allows enough room for the bigger, permanent teeth.

Did you know that primary teeth have thinner enamel and appear whiter (translucent/almost bluish) than permanent teeth.

Did you know that disease progresses more quickly in primary teeth.

Did you know that premature and low birth weight babies can have delayed primary tooth eruption and enamel defects, putting them at higher risk for decay.

Did you know that children can be comforted during the normal eruption process by chewing on a cold teething ring or teething toys.

Did you know that you should take your children to the dentist regularly, beginning with the eruption of the first tooth. Then, the dentist will recommend a specific program of brushing, flossing, and other treatments for you to supervise and teach children. These home treatments, when added to regular dental visits and a balanced diet, will help give your child a lifetime of healthy habits.

Did you know that if your child damages a tooth, you should contact your dentist straight away. A damaged tooth will often discolour over time.

Did you know that early childhood caries (ECC) is a transmissible infectious process that affects children younger than 5 years and results in severe decay and tooth destruction.

Did you know that early childhood caries (ECC) is caused by a child staying on the bottle, breastfeeding or sippee cup too long.

Did you know that not to nurse your children to sleep. Nor should you put them to bed with a bottle of milk, juice or formula. When a child is sleeping, any liquid that remains in the mouth can support the bacteria that produce acid and harm the teeth. A simple pacifier or bottle of water is fine.

Did you know that permanent teeth are normally yellower than primary teeth, but they appear even more so because you are comparing them with the lighter baby teeth still in the mouth.

1. When a child is breastfeed on demand, with high frequency and duration at night, it is important to implement oral hygiene following feedings.
2. Stop night feedings once teeth erupt. The majority of infants are physiologically able to tolerate a prolonged fast around 6 months of age, which is when teeth typically begin to erupt.
3. Provide the child with healthy alternatives such as fruits and vegetables cut into small pieces (to avoid choking) or whole grain snacks.
4. Detergent foods like raw vegetables and fruits have added advantages of stimulating salivation, which in itself has anti-caries properties.
5. Introduce a cup as soon as the infant can sit unsupported (around 6 months of age) and try to eliminate the bottle by 1 year of age.
6. Sippy cups containing fruit juices, soft drinks, sweet teas, formula, or milk should not be given to the child at bedtime or nap time.
7. Pre-tasting, pre-chewing, and sharing of utensils should be avoided because bacteria is transmitted through saliva.
8. Prolonged thumb sucking may cause problems with proper growth of the mouth and the alignment of teeth. It also can cause changes in the roof of the mouth.
9. The most common dental effect of nonnutritive sucking is anterior, upward movement of the maxillary central incisors and palatal bone, which may result in an anterior open bite.
10. Other possible effects include maxillary constriction and posterior crossbite.
11. Children should be encouraged to discontinue their nonnutritive sucking habits by 4 years of age.
12. Begin wiping the gums of even a very small infant with a soft washcloth or soft toothbrush, even prior to tooth eruption, to establish a daily oral hygiene routine.
13. Brushing should be started as soon as teeth erupt with a small baby brush.
14. Clean or brush a young child’s teeth twice daily – in the morning after breakfast and at night before going to bed.
15. Parents should brush the child’s teeth till the age of four years. Younger children do not have the hand coordination necessary for independent toothbrushing prior to that age. Then, toothbrushing should be supervised until the child can reliably rinse and spit out excess toothpaste (usually 6 years of age).
16. Do not allow the child to swallow fluoridated toothpaste.
17. Flossing is an essential part of the tooth-cleaning process. It removes food particles and plaque between teeth that brushing misses.
18. Children usually need assistance with flossing until they are 8 to 10 years of age

1. Here are 3 reasons to take your child for dental exams:
   1. You can find out if the cleaning you do at home is working.
   2. Your dentist can find problems right away and fix them.
   3. Your child can learn that going to the dentist helps prevent problems.
2. Your dentist may want to take X-rays. X-rays show decay between the teeth. They will also show if teeth are coming in the way they should. Your child's dentist may also talk to you about fluoride.
3. When your child goes for a dental exam, your dentist can tell you if crooked or crowded teeth may cause problems. In many cases, crooked teeth straighten out as the child's jaw grows and the rest of the teeth come in.
4. If they do not straighten out, your child may have a bite problem (also known as malocclusion). This can cause problems with eating and with teeth cleaning. It can also affect your child's looks and make him or her feel out of place.
5. Your dentist can suggest ways to treat this, or refer your child to an orthodontist. An orthodontist is a dental specialist with 2 to 3 years of extra university training in this area.
6. Some primary (or baby) teeth will be in your child's mouth until age 12. The tooth that needs to be fixed may be one of those.
7. Broken teeth or teeth that are infected can hurt your child's health and the way your child feels about him or herself.