Early Dental Care
Preventing Decay of Primary TeethAs soon as teeth appear in the mouth, decay can occur. One of the risk factors for early childhood cavities (sometimes called baby bottle tooth decay) is frequent and prolonged exposure of a baby’s teeth to liquids containing sugar, including milk of any kind including breast milk, formula and fruit juice. Tooth decay can occur when parents or caregivers put a baby to bed with a bottle that contains any beverage other than water--or use milk, formula or juice as a pacifier for a fussy baby. Encourage children to drink from a cup by their first birthday, and discourage frequent or prolonged use of a training cup. If you give your child a pacifier, use a clean one. Never dip a pacifier in sugar or honey before giving it to a baby. Encourage healthy eating habits. This would include a diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits and whole grains. Cheese is a great choice! Snacks should be nutritious. Limit sweets to mealtimes. If you want to give your child a treat, we really recommend chocolate! Because chocolate has a higher fat content it tends to slip off the teeth instead of sitting in the grooves like some sticky, hard or chewy candies can. It is truly all about frequency of exposure to sugars that can perpetuate the decay process. It is always good to have a balance. Cavities-How do they form? It starts with bacteria... thousands of bacteria live in your mouth, and most of them are beneficial. But a few are harmful, including the streptococcus mutans bacterium, the one responsible for tooth decay. These bacteria thrive in plaque, a sticky film that’s constantly forming on your teeth. Once you add starches the process of decay begins. The streptococcus mutans bacteria feast on starches in your mouth, then produce an acid that dissolves your tooth enamel, until eventually you have a hold on the surface of your tooth (a cavity). |