Q : When should I start to bring my child to the dentist?
A : At the age of 3 years, we recommend that children have their first dental appointment. At this age, generally all of their baby teeth are in the mouth. If the parent notices anything of concern in the mouth or teeth (i.e.; a dark mark or hole on the tooth), they should bring their child in earlier.

Q : Why is it important to look after the baby teeth when they are going to fall out anyway?
A : For 3 reasons:

1) If a cavity develops and is left long enough to grow the child can have pain and the infection from the baby tooth’s cavity damages their adult tooth underneath it.
2) The baby teeth provide a guideline or map for the adult teeth to follow. The baby teeth will maintain the right amount of space needed for the adult tooth. If the baby tooth is lost premature, the space is lost. The adult tooth comes out
possibly leaning forward or bent backwards in the mouth, or worse, trapped under other teeth.
3) The teeth are needed for:
proper speech: the child speaks clearly
digestion: they gain more nutrients from the food they eat
better health: disease in the mouth can effect the health of the rest of the baby teeth
confidence: an attractive smile will build more confidence in their appearance

Q : What does a visit to the dentist involve?
A : A visit includes a gentle examination of your child(ren)’s teeth (for cavities), oral tissues (for gum disease/infections) and the jaws (for growth development). The teeth will be cleaned, polished and most importantly, the fluoride treatment applied. Our examinations are always filled with fun; stickers, report cards, photos, balloons and much more..

Q : What can be done to prevent cavities?
A : Two important ways:

1) The fluoride treatment is like vitamins for the teeth. It strengthens the baby teeth and adult teeth so they are more resistant to decay. Also check if your water is fluoridated, if not you can consider fluoride supplements - contact your regional health unit.
2) Minimize the frequency of sugar intake in your child’s diet. Every time sugar is put in the mouth it causes and acid attack on the teeth that can last for 30 minutes. If your child has frequent amounts of sugar throughout the day, (including sweet drinks and sweet snacks) the acid eventually causes a hole to develop in the tooth (cavity)
EXAMPLE: 1 child + 10 cookies (child nibbles on cookies at 10 different times throughout the day) 30 mins. X 10 = 5 hrs of acid attacking the teeth = CAVITY ?

Q : Do you take x-rays of their teeth every visit?
A : No. X-rays are taken only when necessary to diagnose. They allow us to see cavities in between teeth that can’t be seen from inside the mouth, development abnormalities, infections and or abscesses. The dentist will discuss the reason for the x-rays before any are taken.

Q : How often should I bring my children to the dentist.
A : The Ontario Dental Association recommends to visit the dentist every 6 months. If problems occur in the mouth or on the teeth, can be corrected at an early stage.

Q : How can I get my child to brush?
A : Up until the age 6 to 8 years, we recommend that a parent or adult brush their child’s teeth. Up until that point children don’t have the dexterity to do a good job. Let the child brush as well on his/her own, but make sure an adult gets in there to remove everything.

After this age, use fun things to motivate your child to brush…
- Fun and colorful toothbrushes/electric toothbrush
- Flavored toothpaste
- 2 minute sand timer
- Play a favorite song to brush along with
- Disclosing tablets to show how effective or ineffective their brushing is
- A chart to check off or star with a sticker every time they brush.
- Let them see the parent brush, as you know, “monkey-see-monkey-do”

Q : What are sealants? (pit and fissure sealants)
A : Sealants are applied to the back adult teeth (molars) to prevent decay in the narrow pits and grooves of the chewing surfaces. This seems to be the most popular area for cavities. Sealants are a white or clear plastic liquid that is painted on and fills in the pits and grooves. It is then hardened with the use of a light.

Q : What is malocclusion?
A : Malocclusion is the improper positioning of the teeth and jaw. This can effect the appearance of the face and head, jaw growth and speech.

Q : When should my child see someone about braces?
A : An orthodontist is a specialist for correcting malocclusion. The time for treatment can vary from child to child and should be discussed with your dentist . Some treatments need to be started as early as 6 years of age or wait until all the baby teeth are gone (11 – 13 years of age).

If your child requires orthodontic treatment (braces), we have an orthodontist right in our office. The highlights for children with braces are choosing the color(s) of the elastics that hold the wires on. Some choose rainbow colors, others stick to metallic silver. Many of theme colors such as red, white & green at Christmas or black & orange at hallowe’en.

Q : Why should I bring my child(ren) to Dr. Papneja’s dental office?
A : At our great office, we are geared towards children and make it as much fun for them as possible.
We have a toy room in the reception area to play in before their appointment. It has books, toys and a TV that plays all their favorite movies.

In each of the dental rooms, we also have t.v.’s in the ceiling to keep their mind entertained while they have their appointment. There are special camera’s that take pictures inside and outside the mouth that is displayed on another t.v. They become a “T.V. star” for the day. We print these out and send them home with a copy.