Milestones

Birth to 3 years of age

First Dental Visit

When should my child have their first dental visit?
The Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommends children to be seen at 12 months or sooner in case of an emergency.

What can I expect my child's behavior to be like at dental visits?
A 12 month old child's reaction will vary from child to child. Many are relaxed and extremely cooperative; others will cry or shed a few tears.

The first visit is completed with the parent and dentist/hygienist seated knee to knee with the child resting on their legs facing the parent.

The knee-to-knee position provides the child with a nonthreatening environment, and excellent visibility for the infant oral examination.

Oral Hygiene

Cleaning your baby's teeth begins as soon as the first tooth erupts!

Use a comfortable place for your child to lie down with his head in your lap, such as the changing table, couch, floor, or your bed. With a small, moistened toothbrush brush the teeth gently.

Do NOT use toothpaste until your child is able to rinse and spit out the toothpaste. When more teeth erupt and these teeth touch each other, you will need to floss for your child.

It is best to clean your child's mouth after breakfast and ideally before going to bed at night. Ideally your child's teeth should be brushed after each "sugar exposure". It is best to include sweets with a meal rather than in between meals.

A good dental care routine at home should include brushing twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste and flossing once daily.

Bring your baby to the dentist when 6-8 teeth have erupted, or between 1 and 2 years of age.

Your Baby's Diet

A well balanced diet promotes good general health, good oral health, and the development of strong, healthy teeth.

What about solid foods and snacks for my baby?
Solid foods are gradually introduced between 3 and 6 months. Choose foods carefully, avoiding foods that contain large amounts of sugar.

Do NOT add sugar or salt to your baby's food. You have the opportunity to instill good dietary habits, encouraging your child to grow up requesting and enjoying healthy foods and snacks.

Offer: Vegetables, fruits, cheese, milk, yogurt .
Avoid: Sweetened foods, candy, honey, molasses, soda, raisins, and other dried fruits . . especially "fruit snacks". Foods that are "sugary and sticky" are the most decay producing.

Baby's First Teeth

Usually, the front four teeth begin to appear when the baby is between age six months and one year. Some babies experience sore or tender gums while teething. Gently rubbing the child’s gums with a clean finger, a small, cool spoon or a wet gauze pad can be soothing. A clean teething ring may also help. Contrary to common belief, fever is not normal while teething. If your infant has a fever while teething, call your physician.

Most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth by the time they are age three. Primary teeth are as important as permanent teeth – for chewing, speaking and appearance. They also help "hold" space in the jaws for the permanent teeth.

Sometimes a primary tooth is lost before the permanent tooth beneath it is ready to erupt. If primary teeth are lost too early, nearby teeth can tip or move into the vacant space. When the permanent teeth are ready to erupt, there may not be enough room for them. As a result, permanent teeth may grow into an improper position. To avoid this problem, your dentist may recommend using a space maintainer to reserve space for the permanent tooth.

(Source: www.ada.org. American Dental Association. Chicago. 1997)

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay can occur as soon as the teeth appear. Decay in primary teeth can damage erupting permanent teeth. A few ingredients are all that are needed to create the right conditions for tooth decay. The first is plaque, a sticky colorless film of bacteria that forms on teeth. When sugar and starch from food or drinks combine with plaque, an acid is produced that attacks tooth enamel. Repeated acid attacks can break down enamel and eventually result in a cavity

(Source: www.ada.org. American Dental Association. Chicago. 1997)

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

One serious form of decay among young children is baby bottle tooth decay. This condition is caused by frequent and long exposures of an infant’s teeth to liquids that contain sugar. Among these liquids are milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened drinks.

Putting a baby to bed for a nap or at night with a bottle other than water can cause serious and rapid tooth decay. Sweet liquid pools around the child’s teeth giving plaque bacteria an opportunity to produce acids that attack tooth enamel. If you must give the baby a bottle as a comforter at bedtime, it should contain only water. And never dip a pacifier into sugar or honey.

(Source: www.ada.org. American Dental Association. Chicago. 1997)