HealthyPlusno3Jan5 - Flipbook - Page 19
“[Bedtime] bottles are the
number one cause of
demise of juvenile teeth.”
– Dr. Mark Pullano, DMD
parents can do to keep kids’ teeth healthy for life
doesn’t even have to do with brushing.
“It’s about bedtime bottles,” he explains. “Bottles
are the number one cause of demise for juvenile
teeth. Milk, formula, and juice coat developing
teeth and cause them to basically slowly rot over a
series of nights. Anything but water at bedtime is
like gas on a fire for tooth decay.”
While it’s common to think that baby teeth
aren’t all that important, Pullano says that, in many
ways, they’re just as important as adult teeth.
“In addition to helping children chew, speak and
smile,” he says, “baby teeth hold space in the jaw
for the permanent teeth that are growing under
the gums. If baby teeth are lost prematurely, it
can lead to all kinds of problems as other baby
teeth can drift in the open space. They can then
block emerging adult teeth and cause crowding or
impaction. Those are not easy or fun problems
to fix.”
In addition, he notes, adult teeth develop very
close to the roots of the baby teeth. Untreated
cavities in the baby teeth can lead to an infection
or abscess, which can damage the adult tooth
developing below it.
Brushing basics
Because decay can occur as soon as teeth appear
(usually around six months of age), it’s important to
begin a brushing routine early.
Here’s are some brushing basics to guide you:
Infant to age 3: Start brushing their teeth as
soon as they begin to come in. Use a child-size
toothbrush and a small amount (think: size of a
grain of rice) fluoride toothpaste each morning
and night. Pullano emphasizes the importance
of using the appropriate amount of toothpaste as
consuming too much fluoride can be harmful to
young children.
Children 3 to 6 years old: Continue brushing
twice a day (morning and night), using a pea-sized
amount of fluoride toothpaste. Pullano says to
go ahead and let children have the experience of
brushing their own teeth but don’t trust they’ve
done a thorough job. “You need to be present to
watch them and then go in there and really do the
job once their ‘work’ is done.” In addition, as soon
as they have two teeth that touch, flossing should
be introduced as part of the brushing routine.
Children over 6: You should continue to supervise
your children’s brushing twice a day until you’re
sure they can do a good job.
When to see a dentist
The American Dental Association recommends
that children see a dentist by their first birthday.
Pullano says these visits serve two purposes: “First,
they allow us to spot any problems early, including
cavities or issues with spacing. Second,” he adds,
“It gets them used to visiting the dentist so that,
hopefully, they'll have less fear about it as they get
older.”
While pediatric dentists are trained to handle
the wide range of issues associated specifically with
children’s dental health, they’re also hard to come
by. If you’re unable to schedule an appointment
with a pediatric dentist for routine needs, don’t
delay care. Instead, look for a family dentist that
accepts children as patients. +
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