Your Child’s Teeth
Teeth help your child chew and speak. Baby teeth also hold a spot for permanent teeth to come in.
TEETHING
Teething babies may be fussy, drool, and want to chew. If you want to let your child chew on a teething ring, go for one that is hard and solid.
Steer clear of teething products that have benzocaine in them. The US Food and Drug Administration warns that benzocaine can make your baby very sick and may even cause death.
CAVITIES
There are a few things you can do to help reduce your child’s risk of cavities.
- Tooth brushing. You can start brushing your child’s teeth twice a day when the first tooth comes in. For children younger than 3 years, use no more that a smear of toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. Children older than 3 years can use a drop of toothpaste about the size of a pea. You’ll need to brush younger children’s teeth for them. Older children may be able to handle tooth brushing themselves, but watch to make sure they use the right amount of toothpaste and spit out as much as possible.
- Fluoride. Fluoride keeps the outside layer of teeth strong. Using fluoridated toothpaste is one way to take advantage of fluoride. Having your child drink fluoridated is good, too. Fluoridated water is public water with enough fluoride to help keep teeth healthy. If your water isn’t fluoridated, it may be recommended for your child to get fluoride tablets or drops to help get the most benefit from fluoride.
- Limiting sugary snacks and drinks. Teeth are covered with a thin, sticky film of bacteria, which produces acid when exposed to sugar. It is this acid that causes cavities. Drinks are the largest source of sugar in the American diet. Juices, for example, can contain sugar. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests avoiding juice for the first year. The pediatrics group also says children should not sip on juice throughout the day or go to bed with juice. These behaviors increase the risk of tooth decay.
- Sealants. Dental sealants are a protective coating that your dentist can place over the chewing surfaces of your back teeth. These areas are at high risk of developing tooth decay. They are not smooth-they have deep pits and grooves. Your toothbrush cannot get into these areas to keep them clean, so food and plaque can be trapped and easily cause tooth decay.
VISIT THE DENTIST
Be sure to regularly take your children to see the dentist. At this visit they can:
- Clean their teeth and perform an oral examination
- Assess your child’s risk of tooth decay
- Check to see that their teeth are developing on schedule
- Identify any habits that may affect their oral development
Take care of your child’s teeth from the time the first tooth comes in to help get him or her started on the path to good oral health.
ADA-Protection From Tooth Decay
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