But They're Just Baby Teeth Right?

Keeping kid's teeth healthy has become a new passion for me. I myself have had a pretty negative early dental health history. For some reason I did not set up healthy habits needed. I had braces, which I did not treat well, cavities at a fairly early age (10-ish) and poor brushing habits. Needless to say this all caught up with me when I became an adult. It was approximately six years between dental visits so, one tooth was completely blown out and lots of work needed to be done on the rest of my teeth. Over $4,000 later... I want to help make sure others don't fall upon this fate.

Did You Know...

... dental decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease among children today?

... most of the parents of children who have dental decay also suffer from dental disease?

... dental decay is a communicable disease? A mother with dental decay can pass that on to her child.

... children and adults lose 200 million hours of school and work per year while seeking dental care?

... families with low-income and/or no dental insurance are less likely to visit a dentist?

... oral health is linked to MANY other serious conditions including diabetes, and heart conditions? This also effects MANY aspects of a person's life, such as self-esteem, ability to obtain a job, and ability to function.

Parent Testimonial

Sara, a single mother, was physically sick as a result of abscessed gums and decayed teeth. Sara, like many other working poor had no health or dental insurance. Sara's condition became known when a Head Start Social Worker visited her in her home. The social worker saw that Sara was in excruciating pain and vomiting as a result of the infection in her mouth. The Social Worker contacted Head Start's Health Manager who personally paid the bill to Redi-Care for a course of antibiotics. Since then, others have contributed money to pay for the restorative dental work Sara needed.

Introduction

I work for the local Head Start program. Head Start is a free preschool program that offers comprehensive services to low-income children and families. A,B,C's and !,2,3's turns into a whole lot more ... we assist parents in taking care of any issues that may interfere with a child's learning (homelessness, lack of food, physical health, mental health etc...).

Head Start mandates that every participating child have a dental visit within the past year. Moreover, we are to assure that any child needing additional dental work receives it. In our area (and possible many other impoverished areas), the status of dental health is very low for adults and children. Approximately 40% of the children in our care (over 400 children) need additional dental work, which is usually more than just one cavity. So we take to educating parents on how important healthy teeth are.

Well... what better place to help educate even more parents than online. Although this will have some statistics, I hope you find this an interesting read.

But They're Just Baby Teeth... Right?

We hear this time and time again by parents when a cavity or some other problem is found with their child's primary (baby) teeth.

True your child's primary teeth - baby teeth - will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth, but does that make them any less important... NO.

First, baby teeth are a placeholder for permanent teeth. This means they are very crucial pieces to gum development for young mouths.

Second, any decay that is in baby teeth can be spread to the permanent teeth awaiting in the gums.

Third, if you have ever had dental pain, imagine what it is like for a child to live with that pain on a daily basis. Eating and drinking hurt. I had seen way too many children with a mouth full of decay, at 4 years old that's no way to live.

So What Does This All Mean for You?

Parents are responsible for ensuring that children are in good health - plain and simple. Most of this you may have already heard, and may be doing. But hopefully you will learn at least one new thing from this information. So, here are some suggestions:

Set up healthy habits from the very beginning.

Understand that dental disease is a communicable disease. Infants are not naturally born with the enzymes that cause tooth decay. Generally this is passed from parent to child through contact. Remember that time you licked off the pacifier when you couldn't get to a sink to rinse it?

Brush his/her gums and teeth frequently - at least daily for infants and 2-3 times daily for as baby gets older.

We had several toothbrushes around when my son was born. We received one in our Summer Hygiene kit and we had purchased a First Years set. You can find numerous ones on the market now-days. Use what is easy for you and your child likes. For infants there are gum brushes or you can use a wash cloth. We did both. Breast milk naturally has enzymes that prevent plaque, so just taking a washcloth and wiping off the gums is sufficient. After we introduced foods, I would use either a washcloth or gum brush every evening.

The kind of toothpaste really doesn't matter. For children under two years, you will something without fluoride. For children over two, just make sure it has fluoride in it. Get what your child will use... Mine uses regular Crest. Minimize swallowing by using only a pea size amount.

Allow your child to watch you brush. This shows you are doing what you want them to do. Your child will also become more interested in it.

Visit a dentist regularly

Your health is just as important as your child's. This sets an example for your child.

When do I take my child to the dentist? I have heard differing opinions on when to first take you child to the dentist. The American Dental Association recommends that children visit a dentist before their first birthday. In our case our dentist wouldn't have had much to look at, since my son's first tooth didn't come until 10 months and the second around 12 months. Most dentists will tell you not to bring them in until age three. First and foremost, if you suspect a problem, get your child to the dentist. We just recently had a one-year old in our program with a cavity. I was told by my dentist to keep an eye on his teeth and at the latest bring him in around three-years old. This being said, we have started the dentist process. During our latest appointments, we took our 17 month son with us. He would not let the dentist look, but he was able to see what was going on.

Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish. This is a new concept so not all dentists will be doing it yet. Basically, the hygienist paints a fluoride seal on your child's teeth. This is done three times to provide and adequate seal and is supposed to protect from cavities.

Eating and Drinking to Good Health

If you live in an area that has fluoridated water, try to have your child drink a glass a day. Watering down juice counts for this. Use caution though in mixing infant formula with fluoridated water. Too much fluoride can also cause damage to young teeth and internal systems.

Limit sugary drinks and foods - Go for 100% juice. It still has sugar but is not empty calories. Remember that things like potato chips and pasta have a lot of sugar in them, even if they don' taste sweet.

Do not allow your child to sip on drinks all day long. Regular cups or straw cups are much better than bottles (for older children) and sippy cups, if possible. I use sippies some, but I don't allow my son to have the cup with him all day long. Definitely do not put children to bed with cups/bottles of juice or milk. the sugars in these drinks stay in your child's mouth all night. If your child MUST take a cup to bed... make it water.

All this said, I hope you have learned something new about oral health. If you would like even more information visit The American Dental Association - www.ada.org

Want to Help?

- Put this information to practice if you aren't doing it already

- Educate people you know about healthy teeth

- Find out what local programs are helping children and families with dental needs.