Dental Health
Why Good Dental Health is Important
Studies and research have demonstrated the importance of establishing good dental hygiene and oral care early in life. According to research, the most common chronic childhood disease in America is tooth decay, affecting 50 percent of first-graders and 80 percent of 17-year-olds. Early treatment prevents problems affecting a child’s health, well-being, self-image and overall achievement.
The National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research estimates that children will miss 52 million hours of school each year due to oral health problems and about 12.5 million days of restricted activity every year from dental symptoms. Because these children experience a significant drop in academic performance, the Surgeon General has made children’s oral health a priority.
Parents are responsible for ensuring their children practice good dental hygiene. Parents must introduce proper oral care early in a child's life—as early as infancy. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that a good oral hygiene routine for children includes:
Thoroughly clean your infant’s gums after each feeding with a wet washcloth. This stimulates the gum tissue and removes food.
Brush your child’s teeth 2 times per day with a soft bristled toothbrush and an infant toothpaste (non fluoridated) as soon as their teeth begin to come in.
Around 2-3 years old you can begin to teach your child about proper brushing techniques with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. Once they are able to spit out most of their toothpaste they can begin to use a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. It is important to brush for as close to 2 minutes as possible to allow the fluoride to kill the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Also your child’s teeth will “soak up” some of the fluoride which will make them more resistant to cavities.
When your child is able to rinse and spit (generally around 3-4 years old), begin rinsing every night before bed with an alcohol-free, over-the-counter mouth rinse containing 0.05% sodium fluoride (i.e. ACT Fluoride Rinse). This will further help to reduce plaque levels and promote enamel remineralization.
Once all of the “baby” teeth are in and touching it is very important to begin flossing 1 time per day. This is the only way to ensure that your child will not get cavities in between their teeth.
Regular visits with their pediatric dentist are important to check for cavities in the primary teeth and to monitor for possible developmental problems.
Encourage your child to discuss any fears they may have about oral health visits, but not mentioning words like “pain” or “hurt,” since this may instill the possibility of pain in the child’s thought process. (see parent terminology and policies).
Determine if the water supply that serves your home is fluoridated; if not, discussing supplement options with your dentist.
Ask your dentist about sealant applications to protect your child’s teeth-chewing surfaces and about early childhood caries (“bottle tooth decay”), which occurs when teeth are frequently exposed to sugared liquids.