Milk teeth, first visit, cavities in children and dental fear. Answered by registered dental surgeons at AR 32 Signature Smiles.
Answered by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) and Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726),
Maharashtra State Dental Council. General information, not a diagnosis — nothing here
replaces looking in your mouth.
Full answer · 574 words
at what age should a child first see a dentist
A child should first see a dentist by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever comes first. That visit is mostly a quick look and advice for parents, not treatment. At AR 32 we recommend our MDS Pedodontics (children's dentistry) department for children aged 1 to 10.
Answered by Dr Anirban Chatterjee, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 548 words
do milk teeth cavities need to be filled
Yes, in most cases a cavity in a milk tooth should be treated. Milk teeth hold space for adult teeth, and the back ones stay until about 10 to 12 years. Untreated decay can cause pain, abscess and damage to the adult tooth developing underneath. The main exception is a tooth that is about to fall out anyway.
Answered by Dr Gayatri Nagdev, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 507 words
why does my child grind their teeth at night
Night-time teeth grinding (bruxism) is common in children and usually harmless. It is often linked to changing teeth and a developing bite, and most children grow out of it. Get a check if your child also snores, breathes through the mouth, seems tired in the day, complains of jaw pain or headaches, or the teeth look visibly worn.
Answered by Dr Pooja Rajgopal, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 654 words
what should i do if my child knocks out a tooth
First check your child for a head injury, then work out whether it is a milk tooth or an adult tooth. Never put a knocked-out milk tooth back. Hold an adult tooth by the crown, rinse it briefly, and put it back in the socket or keep it in milk, then see a dentist within 30 to 60 minutes.
Answered by Dr Iqbal Mussani, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 522 words
is thumb sucking harmful to teeth
Thumb sucking is normal in babies and toddlers and usually does no lasting harm if it stops by about age four. If it continues as the adult front teeth come in, around six, it can push the upper teeth forward, open a gap between the front teeth and narrow the upper jaw. Strong, frequent sucking does the most damage.
Answered by Dr Anirban Chatterjee, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 499 words
how do i stop my child being scared of the dentist
Children take their cue from you, so stay calm, use simple neutral words, and never use the dentist as a threat. Start with a check-up before anything hurts, choose a time when your child is rested, and let a children's dentist explain each step using tell-show-do. Avoid promising "it won't hurt" or bribing with sweets.
Answered by Dr Gayatri Nagdev, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 520 words
why is my child adult tooth coming in behind the milk tooth
Adult teeth sometimes come in behind milk teeth, especially the lower front teeth at around six or seven, because the milk tooth's roots have not dissolved fully. Often the milk tooth loosens and falls out within a few weeks, and the tongue pushes the new tooth forward. If the milk tooth is still firm after two to three months, see a dentist.
Answered by Dr Abhay Bhosale, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 500 words
does my child need a fissure sealant
A fissure sealant is a thin protective coating painted into the deep grooves of the back teeth, where most children's cavities start. It is most useful on the permanent molars soon after they come through, at around 6 and 12 years, especially for children who already have cavities or snack on sugar often. It is quick and needs no drilling.
Answered by Dr Iqbal Mussani, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 532 words
is a bottle at night bad for my babys teeth
Yes. Falling asleep with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or a sweetened drink is one of the main causes of early childhood decay, often called nursing bottle caries. During sleep, saliva flow drops and milk pools around the upper front teeth for hours. If your baby needs a bottle to fall asleep, make it plain water.
Answered by Dr Gayatri Nagdev, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 545 words
what is a space maintainer and does my child need one
A space maintainer is a small appliance, usually a metal band with a wire loop, that holds open the gap left when a milk tooth is lost too early. It stops neighbouring teeth drifting in and blocking the adult tooth. Your child may need one if a back milk tooth is lost years before the adult tooth is due.
Answered by Dr Abhay Bhosale, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Full answer · 550 words
why is my child tooth grey after a fall
A tooth that turns grey after a fall usually has bleeding inside it from the injury, or a nerve that is dying. Sometimes the colour fades over weeks as the tooth recovers, but it can also mean infection is developing. Any tooth that changes colour after an injury should be checked by a dentist and followed up with X-rays.
Answered by Dr Iqbal Mussani, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
when do milk teeth fall out
Milk teeth usually start falling out at around six years, beginning with the lower front teeth, and the last ones go between about 10 and 12 years. Most children have lost all 20 milk teeth by 12 or 13. A year either side is normal; what matters more is the order, and whether adult teeth follow.
Children have 20 milk teeth, and they are replaced in a fairly predictable order, though the exact age varies a lot between children. Girls often lose teeth a little earlier than boys.
About 6 to 7 years: lower front teeth, then upper front teeth. The first permanent molars also come in behind the last milk teeth at this age, without any milk tooth falling out. Many parents do not realise these are adult teeth.
About 7 to 8 years: the teeth next to the front teeth (lateral incisors).
About 9 to 12 years: the canines and the milk molars at the back.
A loose tooth is best left to come out on its own, with the child wiggling it gently. Pulling a tooth that is not ready can be painful and cause bleeding. A little bleeding when it does come out is normal; have your child bite on clean gauze for a few minutes.
When to get it checked
No teeth have become loose by about 8 years.
An adult tooth is coming in but the milk tooth is not loose at all.
A gap has stayed empty for more than about six months after a milk tooth fell out.
A milk tooth was lost very early because of decay or injury.
Answered by Dr Abhay Bhosale, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
when should my child start using fluoride toothpaste
Start fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth appears, usually around six months. Use only a smear the size of a grain of rice until age three, then a pea-sized amount from three to six. Choose a toothpaste with at least 1,000 ppm fluoride, and teach your child to spit out the extra rather than rinse.
Older advice was to wait until age two or three. Current paediatric dental guidance is clear that fluoride toothpaste should start with the very first tooth, because that is when decay can begin. The trick is getting the amount right.
First tooth to 3 years: a thin smear, about the size of a grain of rice, twice a day.
3 to 6 years: a pea-sized amount, twice a day.
Over 6: a pea-sized amount of regular family toothpaste is fine.
Reading the tube
Look for the fluoride content on the label, written in ppm (parts per million). Many "kids' toothpastes" sold in India are low-fluoride or fluoride-free, and the fruity flavours encourage swallowing. A toothpaste with at least 1,000 ppm, used in the small amounts above, gives real protection.
Swallowing worries
Toddlers will swallow some toothpaste, which is why the amount is kept so small. Swallowing large amounts regularly over years can cause dental fluorosis (white or brown marks on the adult teeth), so keep the tube out of reach and always put the toothpaste on the brush yourself. After brushing, have your child spit out the extra but not rinse with water, so a little fluoride stays on the teeth.
Brush for your child until about seven or eight; most children cannot clean properly on their own before then. If your child's teeth already show marks, see our page on dental fluorosis, or browse the kids' dentistry hub.
Answered by Dr Pooja Rajgopal, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
how do i clean a babys teeth
Before teeth appear, wipe your baby's gums once a day with a clean, soft, damp cloth. From the first tooth, brush twice a day with a soft infant toothbrush and a rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste. The most important brush is the last one at night, after the final feed, with nothing but water afterwards.
Cleaning a baby's mouth is less about technique and more about habit, and the habit starts before the first tooth.
Before the first tooth
After a feed, wipe the gums gently with a clean, damp muslin cloth or gauze wrapped around your finger. It removes milk residue and gets your baby used to having their mouth touched.
From the first tooth
Use a small, soft toothbrush made for infants.
Add a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice.
Brush twice a day, in the morning and last thing at night after the final feed. Nothing but water after that.
Sit your baby on your lap facing away, head resting against you, or lie them on a bed with their head in your lap. You can see better, and they feel secure.
Lift the upper lip and brush along the gum line, where decay starts first.
Don't rinse afterwards; a little toothpaste left behind protects the teeth.
Once a month, lift the lip
Look at the upper front teeth near the gums. Chalky white lines or brown spots are early signs of decay and worth a dental visit. See our page on decay in milk teeth.
When two teeth touch each other, usually the back teeth after age two or three, start flossing between them once a day. Expect protests; brushing a wriggling toddler is a two-minute negotiation for every parent. Keep going, and keep it calm. Our kids' dentistry hub has more.
Answered by Dr Anirban Chatterjee, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
when should my child stop using a bottle
Aim to stop the bottle at around 12 months, and certainly by 18 months. Start offering an open cup or a sipper with meals from about six months, and drop the bedtime bottle first, since that one does the most damage to teeth. Until it goes, a bottle of plain water is the only safe one for sleep.
Paediatric and dental guidance generally suggests moving from bottle to cup around the first birthday. Beyond 18 months, a bottle becomes a comfort habit more than a feeding tool, and longer use is linked to more tooth decay, more sipping between meals, and sometimes less appetite for solid food.
A gentle way to do it
From about 6 months: offer water in an open cup or a free-flow sipper at mealtimes. Expect spills; it is practice.
Around 9 to 12 months: give milk in a cup at one daytime feed, then another.
Drop the bedtime bottle first. Give milk before brushing, then a story or a song instead of a bottle in bed.
Keep the comfort. Many children use the bottle to settle. Replace it with a cuddle, a soft toy or a set routine rather than nothing.
Cups with a hard, valved spout keep much the same sucking habit going, so an open cup or a straw cup is better once your child can manage one.
If your child is past 18 months and still has bottles at night, check the upper front teeth near the gums for chalky white or brown spots. Our kids' dentistry hub explains why night bottles are a problem, and our page on decay in milk teeth shows what to look for.
Answered by Dr Pooja Rajgopal, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
at what age should a child see an orthodontist
Most children should have a first orthodontic check at around age seven, when the first adult molars and front teeth have come in. An early check does not mean early braces. Most children who need braces start between about 11 and 13, but a few problems, such as crossbites or very protruding front teeth, are better treated earlier.
At seven, an orthodontist can see how the jaws are growing and how the adult teeth are coming in, while there is still plenty of growth to work with. For most children the answer at that visit is "everything is on track, come back in a year or two".
Problems that may need early treatment
Crossbite: upper teeth biting inside the lower teeth, which can make the jaw shift to one side.
Very protruding upper front teeth, which are more likely to break in a fall.
Severe crowding, or adult teeth coming in the wrong place.
Underbite, where the lower front teeth sit in front of the upper ones.
Habits such as thumb sucking past six, or constant mouth breathing.
Early treatment, sometimes called interceptive treatment, is usually short and simple, using a plate or a small fixed appliance. It may make later braces simpler, but often does not remove the need for them. Be cautious of any plan that puts a young child into long, expensive treatment without a clear reason you understand.
Don't wait for a referral if you notice teeth that don't meet, a jaw that shifts, or front teeth that stick out. Adults can have braces at any age, so it is never "too late", only sometimes easier earlier.
At AR 32, our MDS Orthodontics department sees patients at Kharadi by prior appointment. Our current published fee for an MDS specialist consultation is ₹1,500. Read more about braces.
Answered by Dr Anirban Chatterjee, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
are dental x rays safe for children
Yes. Dental X-rays use very low doses of radiation, and modern digital sensors reduce the dose further. A dentist should take them only when there is a clear reason, such as checking for hidden decay between back teeth, an injury or an infection. Tell the dentist about any recent X-rays so none are repeated unnecessarily.
Parents are right to ask, because children are more sensitive to radiation than adults. The reassuring part is how small the dose is. A small dental X-ray of one or two teeth gives a dose roughly comparable to a day of the natural background radiation we all receive from the environment. A full-mouth scan such as an OPG gives more, but it is still a low dose.
When X-rays are useful
to find decay between the back teeth that cannot be seen by eye
after a fall, to check the root and the adult tooth developing behind it
to check an abscess or a gum boil
to see whether an adult tooth is present and in the right position
A child with no cavities and low risk does not need X-rays at every visit. How often they are taken should depend on your child's risk, not a fixed schedule.
How we keep the dose low
We use a digital RVG sensor (a small electronic sensor in place of film), which needs less radiation than older film X-rays, and the image appears on screen in seconds. Our current published fee for an RVG X-ray is ₹500. If a larger scan such as an OPG or CBCT is advised, we will tell you why, where it is done and what it costs.
It is reasonable to ask whether a thyroid collar will be used, and always mention if your child has had dental X-rays elsewhere recently. Learn more on our dental diagnosis page or the Oral Radiology department page.
Answered by Dr Gayatri Nagdev, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Avinash Bamane (A-18814) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
how much sugar is too much for a childs teeth
For teeth, how often your child has sugar matters more than how much. Each sugary snack or drink starts an acid attack lasting up to an hour, so keep sweet foods to mealtimes and aim for no more than four sugar occasions a day, drinks included. Children under two should ideally have no added sugar at all.
Every time your child eats or drinks something sugary, bacteria in plaque turn that sugar into acid. The enamel softens for the next 20 minutes to an hour, until saliva neutralises the acid and starts repairing it. One dessert after lunch is one acid attack. The same sweets eaten one at a time over an afternoon are many attacks, with no recovery in between.
Rough limits that help
Under 2: avoid added sugar, sweetened drinks and juice completely.
Over 2: health guidance recommends keeping free sugars (added sugar, honey, jaggery, juices) under 10% of daily calories, and ideally under 5%. For a young child, 5% works out to only about three or four teaspoons a day.
Frequency: sugar at mealtimes, with no more than four sugar occasions a day.
The hidden culprits
sweetened milk, malted health drinks and flavoured milk
packaged juices, even "no added sugar" ones
biscuits, rusk and chikki, which stick in the grooves of the teeth
toffees and lollipops that dissolve slowly
ketchup, breakfast cereals and flavoured yoghurt
sweet chai, which many toddlers are given
Festivals and birthday parties
Diwali mithai and birthday cake are part of childhood. Serve sweets with or straight after a meal rather than as grazing, follow with a glass of water, and brush with fluoride toothpaste before bed. Fruit, roasted chana, paneer, cheese and, for older children, nuts make better everyday snacks.
Answered by Dr Pooja Rajgopal, MDS (Pedodontics) · Approved by Dr Rashmi Bamane (A-22726) · Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Still not sure?
A question answered online is general. An examination is specific to your tooth.
Kharadi runs late, and reception will tell you honestly if you do not need to come in yet.
