Healthy primary teeth promote good health and age-appropriate development in children. In addition to chewing, primary teeth are crucial in speech pronunciation and development. Having tooth decay or losing their baby teeth prematurely can affect children in many ways.

• If left untreated, tooth decay can develop into a tooth root infection, with the buildup of pus, causing pain and fever. The infection may then spread to nearby organs as well as into the bloodstream and then to various organs to the point of being life-threatening.
• With toothaches due to tooth decay, children cannot bite or chew food as usual, thus losing their appetite or only opting for particular foods, thereby not getting the nutrients necessary for proper physical growth.
• Toothaches cause poor sleep in children, affecting both their physical and emotional development.
• Premature loss of teeth affects speech development, with children unable to pronounce certain words clearly.
• Children may lose confidence if they get teased by their peers for not speaking clearly, or for having missing teeth, tooth decay, or discolored teeth.
• Premature loss of primary teeth can result in crowded or crooked permanent teeth, with not enough space to come in or simply coming in in the wrong position.

When should parents bring their child to visit the dentist for the first time?

• When the first baby tooth emerges or when the children are about 6 months old but not more than one year old. Parents should then schedule dentist appointments every 4-6 months, as scheduled.

If the child has no tooth decay, should we still take them to see the dentist regularly?

• Tooth decay or other oral problems may be asymptomatic or difficult to notice in the early stages. Regular visits to the dentist for dental check-ups allow us to find cavities or other problems and deal with them before they become more serious. These include crooked teeth, crowded teeth, and abnormal bites. 
• In addition, dentists can advise parents on how to properly care for their children's teeth. Potential problems can thus be avoided, reducing dental treatment costs. This also helps develop a positive attitude in children regarding dentistry and proper dental care.  

How is a pediatric dentist different from other dentists?

• Pediatric dentists are skilled at providing dental and oral care for children from infancy through adolescence. With their psychological understanding of children of different ages, pediatric dentists can communicate with children gently and appropriately.