Caring for your Child's Teeth

Start dental visits during infancy

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends bringing your child to the dentist before his or her first birthday. At this initial visit, the dentist will:

• check your child's teeth for decay and signs of early developmental problems;
• explain how to care for your child's teeth; and
• answer any questions or concerns you might have.

Children should see a dentist every six months. To help your child develop a positive attitude about the dentist:

• Take your child with you when you go in for a checkup so he/she can get used to the office and its staff.
• Avoid using negative words such as "needle" and "hurt."
• "Play dentist" to familiarize your child with what takes place during a visit.
• Ask your dentist how he or she explains procedures to children.
• Answer your child's questions honestly and sensitively.

Caring for an infant's teeth

Cleaning a child's teeth should begin when the first tooth is visible, because teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they appear in the mouth.

Wipe the baby's teeth and gums clean after every feeding with a soft, damp washcloth or gauze pad. A leading cause of tooth decay among young children is known as "baby bottle syndrome." When an infant is allowed to drink from a nursing bottle containing milk, formula or fruit juice during nap time or at night, the baby often falls asleep with the bottle in his or her mouth. Exposure to the sugars and acids in these liquids that pool around the teeth can cause discoloration and decay.

Since breast milk contains sugar, decay also can occur when a baby falls asleep while breast-feeding. To prevent damage to the teeth, clean your child's teeth after each feeding and, if necessary, give him or her a bottle filled only with water at bedtime or during a nap.

Eating and drinking habits are key to healthy teeth

Studies have shown that children who drink fluoridated water from birth have up to 65 percent fewer cavities, and by the time they become teenagers, many of them still have no tooth decay.

If you live in a community without a fluoridated water supply, you can make sure your kids get their fluoride by using tablets, drops or gel and by having topical fluoride treatments applied at the dental office (to check whether your drinking water contains fluoride, call your local water company or health department). Using a fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse is also effective.

A balanced diet is also an important contributor to healthy teeth and gums. Children especially need calcium, which helps build strong teeth. Good sources of calcium are milk, cheese and yogurt. Research shows that eating cheese after meals seems to inhibit the effects of decay-causing acids. Avoid snacks containing sugar or starch.

By age 3

Children should be brushing their own teeth under adult supervision. Only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is necessary. Start flossing your child's teeth daily when all the primary teeth are in or when teeth are touching each other.

By age 8

Children should be able to brush and floss by themselves, with occasional checks. Turn brushing and flossing into a daily routine — make it fun by giving your child a colorful toothbrush and bubble gum-flavored floss.

With a parent’s guidance and proper personal and professional care, children have a good foundation for maintaining healthy teeth.

An Apple a Day

Dietary habits of school children encourage an increase in sugar intake leading to a greater risk of cavities, reports the Academy of General Dentistry.

Over a 15-month period, researchers tracked the dietary habits and monitored the teeth of preschool children before and after the start of school. Results show that decayed, missing or filled teeth and initial cavities of the children jumped from 9.7 (at age five) to 15.3 cavities (at age six), an increase of 5.6 cavities within one year. Over the length of the study, the percentage of cavity-free school children dropped from 23 to 19 percent.

"This study substantiates the basics taught to dental school students that diet is an important part of proper oral health," says Marilynn Belek, DMD, chief dental officer and senior vice president for Delta Dental.

The easiest way parents can help children prevent tooth decay and cavities at school, Dr. Belek says, is to monitor their eating habits. For example, parents can offer their children healthy snack alternatives such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, caramels, soda, chocolate milk and other foods that contain refined sugar. Cavity-causing organisms feed on sugar and turn it into acid, which attacks tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. Sticky, chewy candy especially can linger on teeth throughout the day. If children do happen to eat sugary snacks at lunch, they should brush and rinse with water or eat a piece of fruit to help clean teeth surfaces and gums.

Dr. Belek also encourages parents to find out what their child's school lunch program offers. "If programs do not offer healthy alternatives, talk to the school about incorporating healthy lunches or snacks," she adds.

Finally, parents should consider professionally-applied sealants as another way to protect children's teeth from cavities. Sealants, a thin coating of bonding material applied over a tooth, act as a barrier to cavity-causing bacteria. They can be put on as soon as the child's first permanent molars (back teeth) appear.