February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! We want
our youngest patients to have a lifetime of good oral health and encourage you
to bring your child in for a visit. Below
are some Frequently Asked Questions about pediatric dental health.
When Should Children
Have Their First Dental Visit?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggests
that parents should make an initial “well-baby” appointment approximately six
months after the emergence of the first tooth, or no later than the child’s
first birthday.
Although this may seem surprisingly early, the incidence of
infant and toddler tooth decay has been rising in recent years. Tooth decay and early cavities can be
exceptionally painful if they are not treated
immediately, and can also set the scene for poor oral health in later
childhood.
What potential dental
problems can babies experience?
A baby is at risk for tooth decay as soon as the first tooth
emerges, and especially so if one of the parents is high-risk. During the first visit, we try to help
parents implement a preventative strategy to protect the teeth from harm, and
also demonstrate how infant teeth should be brushed and flossed.
In particular, infants who drink breast milk, juice, baby
formula, soda, or sweetened water from a baby bottle or sippy cup are at
high-risk for early childhood caries (cavities). To counteract this threat, we discourage
parents from filling cups with sugary fluids, dipping pacifiers in honey, and
transmitting oral bacteria to the child via shared spoons and/or cleaning
pacifiers in their own mouths.
How can I care for my
infant’s gums and teeth?
Many parents do not realize that cavity-causing bacteria can
be transmitted from the mother or father to the child. This transmission happens via the sharing of
eating utensils and the “cleaning” of pacifiers in the parent’s mouth. Parents should also adhere to the following
guidelines to enhance infant oral health:
•Brush – Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a tiny sliver
of ADA approved non-fluoridated toothpaste (for children under two), gently
brush the teeth twice each day. For
infants without teeth, wipe the gums with a damp cloth after every
feeding. This reduces oral bacteria and
minimizes the risk of early cavities.
•Floss – As soon as two adjacent teeth appear in the
infant’s mouth, cavities can form between the teeth. Ask us about strategies for flossing your
child’s teeth.
•Pacifier use – Pacifiers are a soothing tool for
infants. Be sure not to dip pacifiers in
honey or any other sweet liquid. Prolonged pacifier use, as well as
thumb-sucking can be detrimental in older toddlers and young children.
•Use drinking glasses – Baby bottles and sippy cups are
largely responsible for infant and toddler tooth decay. Both permit a small amount of liquid to
repeatedly enter the mouth.
Consequently, sugary liquid (milk, soda, juice, formula, breast milk or
sweetened water) is constantly swilling around in the infant’s mouth, fostering
bacterial growth and expediting tooth decay.
Only offer water in sippy cups, and discontinue their use after the
infant’s first birthday.
•Visit the dentist – Around the age of one, the infant
should visit a dentist for a “well baby” appointment. The dentist will examine tooth and jaw
development, and provide strategies for future oral care. 
When will my child get her first tooth?
The eruption of primary teeth (also known as deciduous or
baby teeth) follows a similar developmental timeline for most children. A full set of primary teeth begins to grow
beneath the gums during the fourth month of pregnancy. For this reason, a
nourishing prenatal diet is of paramount importance to the infant’s teeth,
gums, and bones.
Generally, the first primary tooth breaks through the gums
between the ages of six months and one year.
By the age of three years old most children have a “full” set of twenty
primary teeth.
My child has a cavity
in a baby tooth. Can’t we just pull it
since it will fall out eventually anyway?
Although primary teeth are deciduous, they facilitate speech
production, proper jaw development, good chewing habits - and the proper
spacing and alignment of adult teeth.
Caring properly for primary teeth helps defend against painful tooth
decay, premature tooth loss, malnutrition, and childhood periodontal disease.
In what order do baby
teeth erupt?
Research shows, however, that there are links between
maternal periodontal disease (gum disease) and premature babies, babies with
low birth weight, maternal preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. It is of paramount importance therefore, for
mothers to maintain excellent oral health throughout the entire pregnancy.
Maternal cariogenic (cavity-causing) bacteria is linked with
a wide range of adverse outcomes for infants and young children. For this reason, the American Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) advises expectant mothers to get dental checkups and
counseling regularly, for the purposes of prevention, intervention, and
treatment.
We hope you have found this information helpful. If you are an expectant mother or have young
children, we would encourage you to call us if you have additional questions or
would like to schedule an appointment (269) 344-8988.
Our website also provides additional information on pediatric health, including
questions pertaining to pacifiers and thumb sucking, as well as sedation
dentistry for children.
