TITLE: DENTAL HEALTH AUTHOR: Dr. Ali Kapasi ABSTRACT: Dr. Ali Kapasi - B.Sc. DDS - was born in Kampala, Uganda to a Muslim family who came to Canada in 1972. Dr. Kapasi spent his childhood in Kitchener-Waterloo, attended the University of Western Ontario in London where he received his B.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry, then went on to the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry to obtain his Doctor of Dental Surgery. His residency training was in New York City in Oral Surgery and General Dentistry, he has now returned to practice in Waterloo. ARTICLE:

As a dentist, I often see families who have newly arrived from different parts of Canada and the world. These families come from a wide variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, all of which have differing attitudes regarding dental health. Inevitably, one of the first things I am asked is: When should I start bringing my children to see the dentist? to which I respond that regular dental visits should begin when a child is approximately three years of age. However, good preventive dental health practices should be established much earlier in order to avoid cavities. What I mean by this is, an educational visit to your dentist once a child has begun to teethe. At this visit parents can address any fears or concerns about their child’s dental health.

Many parents may wonder, Why should we worry about baby teeth when eventually they are all going to be replaced by the adult teeth? Indeed, parents question why a baby tooth should have a filling to fix a cavity. Baby teeth are important for the following reasons: 1- teeth are used for chewing, which helps develop the bones and face muscles, as well as aiding in proper nutrition, 2-teeth affect one’s appearance and smile, which is important for social acceptance and self esteem, 3-they aid in sound and speech learning, 4-they maintain space in the jaws for the adult teeth to grow in, thereby helping prevent or reduce the need for costly orthodontics (braces) as the child becomes older. 5-when neglected, baby teeth may develop cavities and abscesses, causing pain and harm to developing adult teeth.

This article was originally published in Cross Cultures Magazine in Volume 7 - Issue 1 - 1997. Unauthorized copying, distribution or other usage without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.