Tooth Fairy's Tantrums

The dentist’s chair can be a place of comfort for your munchkin, provided he is given an early introduction.

- Manidipa Mandal

WHEN ALL GOES well, the average infant starts out with gummy, milky smiles and progresses to pearly whites. But what if the tooth fairy nudges your little one into the dreaded dentist’s chair? We talked to professionals about the most common oral health problems in the 0-2 age group, and found more reassurances than terrors, provided you have been loyal to the dentist.

tongue/lip tie

Children are sometimes born with this condition, where a thick and inflexible frenulum (a fold of skin beneath the tongue) restricts the movement of lips. However, your little one will generally manage to breastfeed fine despite the ‘tie’. “But if your child struggles to latch well, the pain to the mother and difficulty of transferring milk effectively puts the baby at risk,” notes Dr. Aishwarya Verma, senior consultant dentist with Max Super Speciality Centres, Delhi. 

The right approach A quick snip—which is known as frenotomy in the medical fraternity—corrects the problem. However, after the procedure, tongue and lip stretches along with sucking exercises are essential to normalise baby’s oral functions—your dentist will show you how. You also need to follow up with a lactation consultant after the procedure.

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