If you notice a white spot or discoloration on a baby tooth, "that means there could be a problem developing, " says Dr. Warren Brill, newly elected AAPD president, and the child should see a dentist right away.

CNN: Baby's teeth: What you should know

As the bacteria responsible for the tooth decay are sealed in, and deprived of nutrients, the act of sealing the decaying tooth with the metal cap should prevent the decay from spreading, at least until the baby tooth is shed at around 10 years of age.

BBC: Children could be spared dentists' drill

For Babar, a final phone call to her parents before she boarded her flight to Saudi Arabia last week brought news that baby Kamran's first tooth had come in.

CNN: U.S. couple from Georgia experiences Hajj pilgrimage