The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents begin taking their children to the dentist after baby teeth have started to erupt, or at about 12 months of age. Early visits enable parents to learn how to take care of their children’s teeth before cavities develop, and the dentist can examine the child’s mouth, throat and tongue to rule out other diseases. Children at high risk for dental problems or those who have other significant medical problems should see a dentist sooner.

I’M EXPECTING A BABY. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO NOW TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MY BABY’S TEETH?

If you’re an expectant parent, you can visit our office to learn about the effects of drugs and nutrition on dental development. You can also receive early counsel on the types of nipples and pacifiers that will work best for your child.

2. WHY SHOULD MY CHILD VISIT THE DENTIST AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE?

Good dental health doesn’t happen by accident. Healthy habits are learned and the sooner your child learns them, the better. By starting regular visits to the dentist at an early age, children start forming habits that will lead to a lifetime of good dental health. You also have a better chance of catching dental problems before they become severe. Early visits can head off problems with bite, tooth spacing, decay and oral development before those problems jeopardize the future of permanent teeth.

3. WHY WORRY ABOUT BABY TEETH? THEY’RE GOING TO FALL OUT ANYWAY.

Baby teeth are important for several reasons:

1. They are essential when children are learning to talk. Without them, children may not learn proper sound and word formations.
2. Baby teeth guide the way for the permanent teeth that follow. If a baby tooth is lost too early, other teeth may move in to take up the space, which means there may not be enough room for the adult tooth when it comes in.
3. Healthy teeth are important for a child’s social and emotional development. Because a child’s self-perception is often based on what others think of him, your child needs a clean, attractive smile as he grows up. Peer pressure and acceptance is a significant part of your child’s development, even as early as age three.
4. Strong, healthy teeth are important to a child’s total well-being. Decayed teeth, especially those that hurt, can affect a child’s eating habits, which can have an impact on his overall health. Children often do not eat properly if their teeth hurt.
5. Decay in baby teeth can affect the health of permanent teeth that follow. An abscessed baby tooth often will damage the underlying permanent tooth.
6. Children don’t lose all their baby teeth until they are about 12 years old. Until then, baby teeth are the only teeth they have. Maintaining baby teeth until the last one is gone will help avoid many problems in the future.

4. WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MY CHILD’S BABY TEETH?

You can do a lot to protect your child’s baby teeth.

• Avoid serving your child sugary snacks and beverages. It’s especially important to steer clear of snacks that tend to stick to teeth, such as raisins, caramels, taffy and hard candies.
• Encourage your children to snack on foods that don’t promote tooth decay. Foods like cheese, nuts, fresh fruit, carrots and natural juices without added sweeteners are good choices.
• Don’t allow your child to fall asleep with the bottle. This can create a problem called nursing bottle mouth
• Avoid soda.

5. WHAT IS NURSING BOTTLE MOUTH?

Nursing bottle mouth is a dental condition caused by frequent exposure of young teeth to liquids that contain sugars. Plaque—the clear, sticky substance that causes tooth decay—uses the sugars in those liquids to eat away at tooth enamel. Every time a child drinks a liquid that contains sugar, bacteria attack the teeth for at least 20 minutes. When a child falls asleep while breastfeeding or with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or sugar water, the teeth are continually bathed in sugar. Over time, that bacteria can completely destroy the baby teeth.

6. HOW CAN I PREVENT NURSING BOTTLE MOUTH?

The best prevention involves eliminating sugar, the fuel source for the acids that destroy enamel. If your child needs a bottle to fall asleep, fill it with clear, cool water only. Never allow a child to suck a bottle containing sugar-filled liquids for a long period of time.

7. DOES IT MATTER HOW I CLEAN MY CHILD’S TEETH?

It matters very much. Visit our staff for instructions in the best way to clean your child’s teeth. Once most of the baby teeth have come in, you should begin brushing and flossing your child’s teeth on a regular basis. If your city’s water supply isn’t fluoridated, ask Drs. Taylor and Tabor about fluoride supplements. Fluoride helps keep tooth enamel strong. Our staff can suggest other ways of keeping your child’s teeth strong and healthy.

8. WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS A TOOTH KNOCKED OUT?

More children lose teeth to trauma than to decay. Children are especially prone to dental emergencies between the ages of one and two, when they are just learning how to walk, and between the ages of seven and ten, when they are especially active. If your child has a tooth knocked out:

1. Find the tooth as quickly as possible. The first 30 minutes are critical.
2. Pick up the tooth by the crown, not the roots, which contain fibers necessary for reimplantation. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it in water but do not scrub it.
3. Gently push it back into the socket if you can. If not, hold it between cheek and gum, put it in a glass of milk, or place it in a moist towel, in that order preference. Do not reimplant a baby tooth, as this may injure the developing permanent tooth underneath.
4. Take your child to a dentist or hospital emergency room as soon as possible. If you have a pediatric dentist, call the office immediately.

Chipped or fractured teeth can be repaired, too. Collect the pieces and take them to your dentist. Talk to your pediatric dentist about ways you can help your active children avoid injury

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