Dental Care For Your Baby

Infant Dental Care

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that all pregnant women receive oral healthcare and counseling during pregnancy. Research has shown evidence that periodontal disease can increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. Talk to your doctor or dentist about ways you can prevent periodontal disease during pregnancy.

Additionally, mothers with poor oral health may be at a greater risk of passing the bacteria which causes cavities to their young children. Mother's should follow these simple steps to decrease the risk of spreading cavity-causing bacteria:

Visit your dentist regularly.
Brush and floss on a daily basis to reduce bacterial plaque.
Proper diet, with the reduction of beverages and foods high in sugar & starch.
Use a fluoridated toothpaste recommended by the ADA and rinse every night with an alocohol-free, over-the-counter mouth rinse with .05 % sodium fluoride in order to reduce plaque levels.
Don't share utensils, cups or food which can cause the transmission of cavity-causing bacteria to your children.
Use of xylitol chewing gum (4 pieces per day by the mother) can decrease a child's caries rate.

Your Child's First Dental Visit-Establishing A "Dental Home"

The Dental Home is intended to provide a place other than the Emergency Room for parents.

You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.

It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt. Pediatric dental offices make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.

Early visits help us provide care and education that promote good dental health, as well as, help us identify and reduce any risk factors that could lead to unhealthy teeth or habits. At every dental visit, we provide you, the parent, with the information needed to help take care of your child's smile. You can prevent fearful dental experiences and costly dental work in the future by knowing what to do with your child's diet and hygiene as well as your own.

Examination - Diagnostic Process:

During the examination, your child's medical and dental history will be reviewed. Vitals: Blood pressure, Temperature, Height and Weight are taken. A visual screening will determine if any radiographs are necessary. A thorough examination of your child's teeth, oral tissues, and jaws will be performed. If warranted Digital Diagnostic Radiographs will be taken. An oral growth and development assessment will be done along with a dental bite and tooth spacing evaluation. Oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking, mouth breathing, etc., and their impact will also be assessed. After the examination, a prophy or tooth cleaning and fluoride treatment will be performed followed by a review of radiographs and treatment plan, oral hygiene instructions, dietary and nutritional counseling, and patient/parent education.

When Will My Baby Start Getting Teeth?

Teething, the process of baby (primary) teeth coming through the gums into the mouth, is variable among individual babies. Some babies get their teeth early and some get them late. In general, the first baby teeth to appear are usually the lower front (anterior) teeth and they usually begin erupting between the age of 6-8 months.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (Early Childhood Caries)

One serious form of decay among young children is baby bottle tooth decay. This condition is caused by frequent and long exposures of an infant's teeth to liquids that contain sugar. Among these liquids are milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened drinks.

Putting a baby to bed for a nap or at night with a bottle other than water can cause serious and rapid tooth decay. Sweet liquid pools around the child's teeth giving plaque bacteria an opportunity to produce acids that attack tooth enamel. If you must give the baby a bottle as a comforter at bedtime, it should contain only water. If your child won't fall asleep without the bottle and its usual beverage, gradually dilute the bottle's contents with water over a period of two to three weeks.

After each feeding, wipe the baby's gums and teeth with a damp washcloth or gauze pad to remove plaque. The easiest way to do this is to sit down, place the child's head in your lap or lay the child on a dressing table or the floor. Whatever position you use, be sure you can see into the child's mouth easily.

Sippy Cups

Sippy cups should be used as a training tool from the bottle to a cup and should be discontinued by the first birthday. If your child uses a sippy cup throughout the day, fill the sippy cup with water only (except at mealtimes). By filling the sippy cup with liquids that contain sugar (including milk, fruit juice, sports drinks, etc.) and allowing a child to drink from it throughout the day, it soaks the child's teeth in cavity causing bacteria.