Childrens' Dental Care
Childrens dental care has come a long way in the last 20 years. Our dental team has a particular ease with youngsters, so we thought it was a subject that deserved its own heading.
Caring For Childrens' Teeth
Parents in our practice often have questions about how to take care of their childrens' teeth. When should you start brushing? What kind of toothpaste is best? When should you go to the dentist? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you keep your childrens' teeth healthy and cavity free.
Infants and Toddlers –
Although you don't necessarily need to brush them yet, you should start cleaning your infants' teeth as soon as he gets his first tooth. At first you can use a wash cloth to clean your infants' teeth. As more teeth come, you can use a soft childrens' toothbrush.
Because there is some danger if your child gets too much fluoride, your choice of toothpaste is important. Keep in mind that most brands of kids' toothpaste are fluoridated. They just have different flavors and popular characters on them to make them more fun for children, but that doesn't make it safe for your children to swallow too much of the toothpaste. If using a fluoride toothpaste, use a small, pea-size amount of toothpaste, so that there is little danger of your child getting too much fluoride if swallowed.
Encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste at a young age.
An alternative for younger children is to use a non-fluoridated toothpaste such as Baby Orajel® Tooth and Gum Cleanser until they are spitting the toothpaste out.
When to take your child for the first visit to the dentist?
The timing of the first visit to the dentist is a little controversial. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that children should see a dentist when they get their first tooth and not later than one year of age. In contrast, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, unless your child has risk factors for having problems with his teeth, such as sleeping with a cup or bottle, teeth staining, thumb sucking, etc., the first visit to the dentist should be by around the third birthday. In our office we have a special kind of appointment that we call a “happy visit” during which time we chat with you about your concerns, introduce your child to the dental chair, instruments, and experiences common to the dental office. We also use tiny intra-oral cameras that are a lot of fun with children. The quickest way to get them to open up is to ask if they’d like to see their teeth on TV! Most of the time this is a very pleasant, positive experience and the next visit (for a real cleaning) goes uneventful.
An early visit to the dentist is a good way to learn proper oral hygiene at an early age, avoiding nighttime bottles or cups of formula or juice, proper tooth brushing, and a diet that promotes good dental health.
*NOTE* You may also want to see a Pediatric Dental Specialist early if your child has a medical condition that puts him at risk of having dental problems, such as Down Syndrome, cleft palate, or enamel malformation.
What about Fluoride?
Another important topic is figuring out if your child is getting enough fluoride. First of all, let’s cover the controversy over public water Fluoridation and Fluoride supplements. We should start by telling you that Doctors Chuck and Lynda are rather “earthy” by many people standards. They have been trying to eat organically for 25 years. They are serious about chemicals in their home environment, and they would not recommend something to their patients that they would not give to their own children. That said, they would obviously be very sensitive to the risk/benefit ratio involved in the use of Fluoride as a tool for better dental health if it did not prove to have dramatic benefits. To date, they have never seen any credible or esteemed scientific studies that would concern them about giving children Fluoride as their teeth are developing. In fact, they have seen so much anecdotal evidence that it is beneficial, that they highly recommend Fluoride. If you know of a credible source of information to the contrary, they would be anxious to review it. For the present though, Fluoride appears to have an enormously beneficial effect on teeth and very, very little risk.
In short, Fluoride exposure causes the enamel formation to proceed in a much improved fashion. Teeth that are formed during exposure to a daily Fluoride source have far fewer and far shallower grooves. The bacteria that cause tooth decay in the grooves of teeth simply cannot do their dirty work in shallow, rock-solid grooves. In addition, the enamel elsewhere on the teeth forms in a harder, more durable way that is not as easily broken down by the acids produced by bacteria or certain foods. When we look at patients’ teeth, we can often tell them if they moved from the city to the country as a child, just by noticing that they appear to have teeth formed at different times, some with and some without Fluoride exposure.
Children begin to need supplemental fluoride by the age of six months. If your child is drinking tap water (either alone or mixed with formula or 100% fruit juice), and you live in an area where the water is fluoridated, then he/she should be getting an adequate amount of fluoride. If he/she doesn't drink water, or is drinking well water, un-fluoridated bottled water (most brands of bottled water don't have fluoride in them unless the label specifically states that they do), or filtered water, then he/she may not be getting enough fluoride to keep his teeth healthy. Talk with us about fluoride supplements.
Water filters are a special concern, because some of them do filter out fluoride. Counter top filters and the pitcher type filters usually don't remove fluoride, but more sophisticated, point of use filters can. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer to see if the filter removes fluoride.
When can preventive “sealants” be placed?
You should also talk with us about using sealants in your school age child. A sealant is a plastic material that is applied to the grooves of the teeth, hardens, and provides a barrier against plaque and other harmful substances. Sealants can be applied to the 1st and 2nd adult molars and premolars to help protect the grooves and pits of these teeth that can be hard to clean and are prone to developing cavities, as soon as possible after they erupt (usually after 6 years of age).
What about flossing?
Flossing is an important part of good dental hygiene. You can usually begin flossing once your child is about 3-4 years old, but they likely won't be able to floss on their own until they are 8-10 years old.
In addition to teaching your children the importance of regular brushing and flossing, routine visits to the dentist and a healthy diet, it is important that you set a good example by also practicing good dental hygiene. If you do not brush and floss each day or regularly see a dentist, then it is unlikely that your children will either.
Tooth brushing tips…
1. Choose a small toothbrush with soft bristles
2. Use a small amount of toothpaste
4. Use a timer
8. Flossing
Admire your childrens' teeth regularly and they will value their good health for a lifetime!