Dentist urges treatment of baby teeth to protect permanent teeth
Thursday 17th September 2026 on 13:45 in
Estonia
Baby teeth must be treated because tooth decay can spread to permanent teeth, dentist Raili Luikmel told ERR’s Vikerraadio programme Huvitaja. She said healthy adult teeth are largely the result of habits formed during childhood rather than genetic luck.
Preschool children can find dental visits particularly frightening because they are entering an unfamiliar environment and allowing a stranger to work in their mouths. Luikmel said parents can prepare children by explaining who the dentist is and what will happen.
She said parents should avoid passing their own fears on to their children. A first visit can be described as an appointment to count the child’s teeth, rather than one involving treatment.
Threatening children with injections, drilling or having their teeth pulled out makes it harder for dentists to build trust, Luikmel said.
Tooth decay is common among children. A study found cavities in about 36 percent of four-and-a-half-year-old children in Estonia.
Baby teeth are important for speech development, eating and chewing, and children’s wellbeing, Luikmel said. She rejected the idea that they do not need treatment because they will eventually fall out.
“The spread of decay in baby teeth also affects permanent teeth,” Luikmel said. Treating baby teeth is also important to ensure that the jaw develops normally.
Teenagers are another difficult group to reach, she said. They become more independent, may develop less healthy eating habits and no longer necessarily visit the dentist with their parents.
Luikmel said frequent snacking and high sugar consumption increase the risk of cavities. Water is the best drink for quenching thirst, she said, while regular toothbrushing is also essential.
Children should start using dental floss no later than ages 12 to 14, because the spaces between teeth cannot otherwise be cleaned properly, Luikmel said.
She recommended that adults visit the dentist during their birthday month and children six months after their birthday. “The foundation for healthy teeth is laid in childhood,” Luikmel said.