PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY BLOG POST FOR MAY 2017

WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD START SEEING A PEDIATRIC DENTIST?

I get a lot of inquiry from parents asking when they should start bringing their child to the dentist.  A child’s tooth start to come in at around 6 months of age.  Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child should be seen by the age of 1.  It is very important to keep and maintain healthy primary teeth or baby teeth as they are commonly called because they help children chew to maintain a good diet, important in speech development, saving space for permanent teeth to come in later and promoting a healthy smile to enhance the child self esteem. 

 COMMON FOODS  & DRINKS TO AVOID THAT CAUSE CAVITIES

 Snacks

 Snacks or foods like crackers, chips , fruit snacks, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches are common cause of cavities in children.  They are usually available in the school cafeteria as a lunch options and because of their high starch and sugar content, tend to stick to teeth easily.  Children often don’t have time to brush after lunch and the sticky food will adhere to teeth providing the sugar for bacterial to grow and attack the enamel on the teeth.  Try to educate your children on choosing a healthy choice alternative and encourage them to brush their teeth after having such sticky snacks.

 Sugar and High Energy Drinks

 Fruit juice or flavored drinks are readily available to children and have high sugar content which contribute to cavities in children.  The amount of juice should be limited to 4 oz once a day given during meal time only.  If the juice is high in sugar content, it’s advised to dilute it in half water and half juice.  Another trend among the preteens & teens nowadays is the emergence of high energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Gatorade.  If your child is an athlete, it’s recommended to just drink water during sports.  Excessive amount of these drinks which is very high in sugar and caffeine contents will lead to cavities.

 HOW DO I PREVENT CAVITIES IN MY CHILDREN’S TEETH?

 Children nowadays can grow up and be cavities free by following proper oral care starting with brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and flossing to follow.  Routine check up with your dentist is essential every 6 months to maintain a healthy mouth.  Preventive procedures such as fluoride treatment and sealants are readily available at the dental office to help prevent cavities in children’s teeth.  Proper nutrition should be enforced to make sure children’s teeth are not exposed to unnecessary  sugar acid that’s the cause of childhood caries.