Kids...

AUGUST 2011



I am always delighted when fall rolls around because I get to catch up with the younger population of my practice. I enjoy being a part of their growth and developmental years. For the most part, I am able to give them a high five, wish them well and tell them that I look forward to seeing them in six months. Parents seem to know innately that healthy teeth are very important to their children's overall health, but I am going to go over the basics again.

• Very young children should be checked regularly for spots or stains on their teeth and should never be put to bed with a bottle. A drinking cup should be introduced around a child's first birthday.
• When teeth appear, start using a soft children's toothbrush twice a day.
• If you live in an area where the tap water doesn't contain fluoride or if you drink only bottled water, your dentist may prescribe daily fluoride tablets when your child is about 6 months old.
• Kids who are preschool-age should brush with fluoride toothpaste; a pea-size of toothpaste is all they need.
• Gradually introduce flossing, which should be done once a day by children over 8.
• Sweet snacks and drinks need to be limited between meals.
• Cavities are holes that are formed when bacteria (germs) in the mouth use the sugar in food to make acid. This acid eats away at the teeth. Cavities are common in children. Kids who were born early or weighed very little at birth tend to have more cavities, as do kids who have ongoing special health care needs or who do not go to the dentist very often. So it is very important that the parents help with brushing and flossing.
• Low-fat milk and dairy products high in calcium should be available always.
• It's normal for children to suck their thumbs, their fingers or a pacifier. Most children give up this habit on their own by age 4, with no harm done to their teeth. In most children there is no reason to worry about a sucking habit until around age 6, when the permanent front teeth come in.
• The American Dental Association recommends that parents take their child to a dentist no later than his or her first birthday
• Kids need to have regular dental check-ups. They need to know and trust their dentist.

Children will begin to lose their teeth at about age 6-7; it varies between boys and girls. They will usually lose their front teeth first and will continue to lose baby teeth until the age of 12 or 13 when all of the permanent teeth finally erupt. Along the way there may be cosmetic issues to discuss with the dentist that may include braces or sports guards. And then there are the accidents that any active child is likely to have.

In my opinion, parents need to make their dentist a family partner, because, long before the nest is empty, they will need a dentist's help and guidance in maintaining the overall health and well-being of their kids.

*American Dental Association information contributed to this article.