Discover How to Get Your Child To Brush Teaching your child to brush is a task that can be very challenging at times. Having your child brush however, is extremely important because it establishes good oral habits that last a lifetime. Start Early The key to establishing good brushing habits is starting an oral care program early. In fact, the American Dental Association suggests that you begin cleaning your baby's mouth the first few days after birth. After each meal take a wet washcloth and wipe your baby's gums. This accomplishes three things: Removes plaque that accumulates on the gums Gets your child accustomed to having a clean, plaque-free mouth Gets your child accustomed to you "meddling" in their mouth making it easier for us to clean their teeth when it is time for their first check up Brushing Your Child's Teeth Despite the fight your child may give you, it is extremely important that you brush their teeth. Parents usually take responsibility to their children’s teeth until age five because young children do not have the manual dexterity to brush their teeth on their own, effectively. Why should you go to great lengths to brush your child's teeth ? The most important reason is that tooth decay occurs faster in children than in adults. By brushing your child's teeth, you remove the plaque bacteria which are responsible for this tooth decay. Another reason to help your child learn to brush is that this helps them develop a crucial habit which will last a lifetime. Make It Fun ! ada.org agd.org | Back To Top Kids and Dental Emergencies All teeth, even baby teeth, are important. It is important to handle a dental emergency such as a chipped tooth or a knocked out tooth the same whether the tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth. Many parents do not know whether the injured tooth is an adult tooth or a baby tooth and are under the false impression that baby teeth are less important because they will eventually be replaced. This is not true. Baby teeth are important for several reasons including: acting as spacers creating enough room in the jaw so that permanent teeth can come in aiding in proper speech development and serving to help build self-esteem in the newly independent child. What To Do in an Emergency One of the most important things you can do as a parent to protect your child’s baby teeth is to make sure that you are prepared before an accident even occurs. Make sure that your dentist has after-hours coverage meaning that he/she or a partner is available to take care of dental emergencies and keep your dentist's emergency number available (carry it in your wallet). The most common dental emergency includes: teeth that have been knocked out due to trauma teeth that have been chipped as a result of an accident In either case, it is important to know what to do. Time is a key factor whether you can save a tooth that has been knocked out or not. If a dentist is seen within one hour after an accident, chances are good that the tooth can be re-implanted and saved. Remember to rinse the tooth off and place it in a cup of milk. Then see a dentist immediately. With chipped teeth the situation is a little more complicated. If your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity in the affected tooth, see a dentist immediately as this may indicate the tooth’s nerve may be injured. The dentist can perform a root canal or other necessary procedure to save the tooth. If no pain or sensitivity is present, the situation is not as critical. You should call your dentist to double check, but in most cases, you can simply schedule a future appointment to replace the lost portion of the tooth with a porcelain veneer or with bonding material. | Back To Top How to Prevent Dental Injuries before they occur The best way to prevent a dental emergency is to protect your child’s teeth with a recommended sports guard. We strongly recommend that children engaged in sports wear mouthguards. Once only used in football and ice hockey, mouthguards are now being recommended for other sports as well, including roller- blading, basketball, and soccer. Most mouthguards are made of plastic and cover the lower teeth. Not only do mouthguards protect teeth, but they also protect lips, gums, and cheeks. Dental Sealants Dental sealants represent one of the greatest, but least known advances of modern dentistry. Applied during a simple procedure, dental sealants dramatically reduce childhood cavities. Unfortunately, not many children receive the protective benefits of sealants and get cavities. Children suffer from one type of cavity in particular at relatively high rates. These are cavities which occur in teeth located at the back of the mouth. More than 50% of all cavities occur in these teeth! These teeth are prone to cavities because they contain small pits and grooves which cannot be cleaned effectively by a toothbrush. Dental sealants are clear protective coatings which cover the tooth surface preventing bacteria and food particles from settling into the pits and grooves. During the application the dentist or hygienst will thoroughly clean the teeth, prepare the tooth surface for application, and then paint the dental sealant onto the teeth. The procedure is quick and painless. Usually sealants are applied after your child reaches the age of six when the first permanent molars come in. Dental sealants last for 4-5 years and can easily be reapplied when they wear off. Ask us about dental sealants during your child's next dental visit. It just may prevent future visits and ensure that your child has a healthy and beautiful smile for years to come. Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Every year thousands of infants and young children have extensive tooth decay resulting from milk and other liquids in the baby's bottle. Many parents put their children to sleep with a bottle. They often find that this helps the baby fall asleep. Unfortunately, studies show that babies fall asleep with the nipples in their mouths, allowing fluid from the bottle to sit in the teeth. The sugar then nourishes the bacteria that are in the baby's mouth. Night after night the result is cavity formation and extensive tooth decay. In some cases, the entire tooth can be eaten away by acid produced by the bacteria. What can parents do to protect their children's teeth? We suggest that after every bottle feeding you take a wet cloth or gauze pad and gently wipe your child's gums and teeth. This will remove any bacteria containing plaque and excess sugar that may have built up. If you must give your child a bedtime bottle, you should only place water in the bottle. Water contains no sugar and cannot be used by bacteria to produce acid. Follow these suggestions to protect your child from baby bottle decay and you will ensure that their smile will last a lifetime. | Back To Top