The importance of good oral hygiene in children especially between the ages of 3 to 10 cannot be overemphasized. Very often, due to neglect or ignorance, parents allow heavy consumption of sweets and fail to monitor the brushing of teeth. As a consequence, rampant caries occur and often result in painful episodes. Faced with such situations, dentist often have to resort to more aggressive treatment modalities like extraction or root canal therapy. Often things may not go according to plan and the children are unavoidably traumatized. This is the root cause of dental fear in their adult life. Parents are encouraged to bring their children for regular check ups. Preventive measures like diet counselling, fluoride treatment and placement of sealants can be implemented. If caries are detected they are usually at an early stage and can be filled painlessly.
