All About Kids Dental Health
Your Dental Checklist for Back to School
Scheduling Your Child's Checkup: The first day of school is just around the corner! Don't miss this ideal time to get procedures done without working around missed tests and schoolwork. Slots fill up quickly for dental cleanings and checkups this time of year so don't delay!
Could your child benefit from sealants? Most children can benefit from having sealants placed, usually on the premolars and molars to make their teeth less susceptible to decay. Molars have pits and grooves in the chewing surfaces, making them hard to keep clean. Some fissures are so deep it is virtually impossible to remove all the food particles with a toothbrush. These trouble areas are remedied with a filling material, like filling a cavity. Sealants can protect a tooth for many years, but good oral hygiene is still required.
Does your child need their wisdom teeth removed? Third molars or wisdom teeth often lack enough room to come in properly. When this happens, they can cause tooth crowding or damage nearby teeth. They are also prone to gum disease because of their hard to reach location. Removing wisdom teeth during the teenage years is usually a much easier process because the roots are still forming. Summer is a great time to schedule your teen for this procedure to allow adequate time to recover. Most activities may resume after the first day, but they should take it easy from strenuous activity for 3-5 days and contact sports for a good week.
Is your child ready for orthodontics? Did you know that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends kids be seen by age 7 to detect early problems and allow treatment to begin at an ideal time? This "interceptive treatment" may provide a chance to make room for crowded, erupting teeth, focus on bite problems early, reduce the need for tooth removal and the overall time in braces. Send your child back to school in style with the latest colors and designs!
Kids Dental Health 101
As a parent, it can be a little intimidating to be responsible for your children's dental health. Here is a quick go-to guide for some of the most commonly asked questions by parents about the child's dental needs.
Q: When should Ischedule my child's first dental office visit?
A: According to the American Academy for Pediatric Dentistry, by age one. Your visit will probably beshort and involve very little treatment. Your dentist will examine your child's teeth, bite, jaw, gums andother oral tissues. You'll probably talk with your dentist about oral hygiene, nutrition, teething, fluorideneeds and oral habits (like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, bottles, and sippy-cups, etc.)
Q: How often should I take my child to the dentist?
A:As a rule of thumb, every six months for check-ups and cleanings. Staying consistent with these visits will reduce your child's dentist anxiety and allow for you and your dental team to keep on top of any issues that may arise in your child's mouth.
Q: Should I use fluoride toothpaste for my child?
A: The American Dental Association recently published a study recommending the use of fluoride toothpaste, but no more than the size of a pea for ages 3-6 and the size of a grain of rice for childrenunder threeyears of age.
Q: Does my child need fluoride supplements?
A: It depends on the fluoride concentration in your water. Your dentist will know whether local water supplies contain optimal levels of fluoride. If they do not, your dentist may prescribe fluoride drops, tablets or vitamins if your child is over six months old.
Q: What can I do to keep my child's teeth healthy?
A: Start oral health care at an early age!
As soon as baby's first tooth erupts, start the habit of make brushing part of your daily schedule
Let your child choose the equipment (character toothbrush, flavored floss, etc.) so they are playing an active role in the process
Floss once a day as soon as two teeth are touching each other
Eat a healthy diet (lots of fruits and veggies are good for your child's body and his/her teeth!)
Monitor amounts of soda, juice, and other sugary drinks
See your dentist twice a year
7 Tips for Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy
Though most parents primarily think of brushing and flossing when they hear the words “oral care,” good preventative care includes many more factors. Following these seven tips can help your child keep those pearly whites in their perfect condition.
Diet: Parents should provide children with a nourishing, well-balanced diet. Very sugary diets should be modified, and continuous snacking should be discouraged. Oral bacteria ingest leftover sugar particles in the child’s mouth after each helping of food–emitting harmful acids that erode tooth enamel, gum tissue, and bone if left unchecked. Space out snacks where possible, and provide the child with non-sugary alternatives like celery sticks, carrot sticks, and low-fat yogurt.
Oral Habits: Though pacifier use and thumb sucking generally cease over time, both can cause the teeth to misalign. If the child must use a pacifier, choose an “orthodontically” correct model. This will minimize the risk of developmental problems like narrow roof arches and crowding. A pediatric dentist can suggest a strategy (or provide a dental appliance) for thumb sucking cessation.
General Oral Hygiene: Sometimes, parents cleanse pacifiers and teething toys by sucking them. Parents may also share eating utensils with their child. Harmful oral bacteria are transmitted from parent to child in these ways, increasing the risk of early cavities and tooth decay. Instead, rinse toys and pacifiers with warm water and avoid spoon-sharing wherever possible.
Sippy Cup Use: Sippy cups are an excellent transitional aid from a baby bottle to an adult-drinking glass. However, sippy cups filled with milk, breast milk, soda, juice, and sweetened water cause small amounts of sugary fluid to continually swill around young teeth–meaning continuous acid attacks on tooth enamel. Sippy cup use should be terminated between the ages of twelve and fourteen months–or whenever the child has the motor capabilities to hold a drinking glass.
Brushing: Children’s teeth should be brushed a minimum of two times per day using a soft bristled brush and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Parents should help with the brushing process until the child reaches the age of seven and is capable of reaching all areas of the mouth. Parents should always opt for ADA approved toothpaste (non-fluoridated before the age of two, and fluoridated thereafter). For babies, parents should rub the gum area with a clean cloth after each feeding.
Flossing: Cavities and tooth decay form more easily between teeth. Therefore, the child is at risk for between-teeth cavities wherever two teeth grow adjacent to each other. A pediatric dentist can help demonstrate correct head positioning during the flossing process, and suggest tips for making flossing more fun!
Fluoride: Fluoride helps prevent mineral loss and simultaneously promotes the remineralization of tooth enamel. Too much fluoride can result in fluorosis, a condition where white specks appear on the permanent teeth, and too little can result in tooth decay. It is important to get the fluoride balance correct. A pediatric dentist can evaluate how much the child is currently receiving and prescribe supplements if necessary
