As part of our effort to educate parents and children during National Children’s Dental Health Month, we will tackle some of the questions we commonly encounter.
1. “They’re just baby teeth, why do we need to save them?” Primary or baby teeth hold spaces for the adult teeth. They aid in eating and speech, which are both essential for growing children. Self-esteem is also developing at this age, and children can be teased by others for missing or decayed teeth.
2. “When should I bring in my child for his or her first visit?” The American Dental Association and the American Medical Association both recommend a visit to the dentist when the first tooth erupts or by their first birthday. At this appointment, your child should receive a quick and thorough exam, a cleaning with a toothbrush, and a fluoride treatment. The dentist can spot any irregularities and also provide valuable information regarding the care of your child.
3. “What type of toothpaste should I use?” Look for a fluoride toothpaste with the ADA seal on the box. A thin smear should be used, and all children should be supervised (you need to brush for them) until at least 6 years of age.
4. “What can we do to stop thumb sucking?” The child must be old enough to understand and want to stop sucking their thumb. Most children stop once they are in school. If they continue at night or other times, focus on positive reinforcement to reward them when they are not sucking. A calendar can be used to chart the progress of nights when they didn’t suck their thumb. They can earn a small reward for a week of positive behavior. A band-aid or glove can be worn at night to remind the child to keep their thumb out. Most changes in the teeth will self-correct if the habit is stopped before the permanent teeth erupt. Your dentist can determine if any other treatment is needed.
5. “My son grinds his teeth at night. What can I do?” Grinding, or bruxism, is often due to other underlying issues. Stress over a recent PCS, a parent deploying, or school can trigger grinding in some children. Other systemic issues can also be the cause. Bruxism generally poses no real problem for children’s teeth, and does not automatically lead to grinding of the teeth as an adult. Primary teeth tend to wear more easily than permanent teeth. In severe cases of bruxism, a mouth guard can be made to help protect the teeth.
Please schedule your children to be seen at least once a year by their dentist. Our goal is to educate both the parent and child on how to maintain a healthy smile.
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As part of our effort to educate parents and children during National Children’s Dental Health Month, we will tackle some of the questions we commonly encounter.
1. “They’re just baby teeth, why do we need to save them?” Primary or baby teeth hold spaces for the adult teeth. They aid in eating and speech, which are both essential for growing children. Self-esteem is also developing at this age, and children can be teased by others for missing or decayed teeth.
2. “When should I bring in my child for his or her first visit?” The American Dental Association and the American Medical Association both recommend a visit to the dentist when the first tooth erupts or by their first birthday. At this appointment, your child should receive a quick and thorough exam, a cleaning with a toothbrush, and a fluoride treatment. The dentist can spot any irregularities and also provide valuable information regarding the care of your child.
3. “What type of toothpaste should I use?” Look for a fluoride toothpaste with the ADA seal on the box. A thin smear should be used, and all children should be supervised (you need to brush for them) until at least 6 years of age.
4. “What can we do to stop thumb sucking?” The child must be old enough to understand and want to stop sucking their thumb. Most children stop once they are in school. If they continue at night or other times, focus on positive reinforcement to reward them when they are not sucking. A calendar can be used to chart the progress of nights when they didn’t suck their thumb. They can earn a small reward for a week of positive behavior. A band-aid or glove can be worn at night to remind the child to keep their thumb out. Most changes in the teeth will self-correct if the habit is stopped before the permanent teeth erupt. Your dentist can determine if any other treatment is needed.
5. “My son grinds his teeth at night. What can I do?” Grinding, or bruxism, is often due to other underlying issues. Stress over a recent PCS, a parent deploying, or school can trigger grinding in some children. Other systemic issues can also be the cause. Bruxism generally poses no real problem for children’s teeth, and does not automatically lead to grinding of the teeth as an adult. Primary teeth tend to wear more easily than permanent teeth. In severe cases of bruxism, a mouth guard can be made to help protect the teeth.
Please schedule your children to be seen at least once a year by their dentist. Our goal is to educate both the parent and child on how to maintain a healthy smile.