Healthy Baby Teeth Are Important

It’s never too early to think about your child’s dental health…even before he has teeth.

Recent studies show that infants and toddlers are affected by oral disease. The University of Rochester and New York had a study showing that one in four toddlers had a tooth either pulled or filled because of cavities and one in ten had severe early childhood dental caries, the disease that causes cavities. The California Dental Association found compelling evidence that dental caries can be transferred between caregiver and child -- for example when a parent or sibling kisses a baby.

Taking good care of a baby’s mouth can help create good oral hygiene. To start, lay your baby across your lap and use a damp washcloth to gently wipe his or her gums after each meal. You can start using a soft toothbrush on your child’s teeth after the first tooth appears, usually between five and eight months of age. Do not allow your baby or toddler to go to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice or sugar water. If he or she must have something, water only.
Dental visits are also a vital part of a child’s health care. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a child should have his or her first dentist visit when the first tooth appears and no later than his first birthday. Many dentists recommend taking the child along on dentist visits or setting up a trial visit to help her adjust to the sights, sounds and feel of a dentist office.

A local health clinic, Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, offers a program for parents to educate parents and caregivers on proactive dental care that will help prevent infants and toddlers from experiencing needless pain, suffering and tooth loss by increasing access to dental care. 

Dr. Harvey Shaw, dental director at Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, heads the center’s program “2 is Too Late.” “We see so many children with rampant tooth decay.  We believe in trying to educate the parents early, the earlier the better,” said Dr. Shaw. “We perform an examination; show the parents how to clean the child’s teeth with either a toothbrush or if they don’t have teeth at six months, using a damp washcloth. We encourage the parents to bring the child back every six months.”

Dr. Shaw believes that through education and early prevention, parents can significantly reduce the amount of tooth decay their children have. The Rodgers dental clinic sees three to four children each day through the “2 is Too Late” program.

Healthy teeth and gums are important to your child's overall good health. Injured, diseased, or poorly developed teeth can result in poor nutrition, painful and dangerous infections, and problems with speech development and self-image.