Early childhood cavities is the #1 chronic disease affecting young children.
Healthy adult teeth start with healthy teeth during childhood.
A baby’s 20 primary teeth are already present when they are born. Baby teeth begin coming through the gums around 6 months, keeping space in the jaw for adult teeth. The American Dental Association recommends that parents take children to a dentist no later than their first birthday and then at intervals recommended by their dentist.
To help ensure you are well prepared to provide your child with a lifetime of good dental health think of these tips and reminders.
- Tooth pain keeps many children home from school or distracts them from learning.
- Consumption of sugary foods, soda, juice or energy drinks increases the risk for tooth decay and gum disease.
- Brush teeth twice daily for two minutes and floss once a day.
- Mouth guards can help protect children from a dental emergency. They should be worn whenever children participate in sports and recreational activities.
- Malocclusion, or bad bite, is a condition in which the teeth are crowded, crooked, out of alignment or the jaws don’t meet properly.
Even babies can develop tooth decay if good feeding habits aren’t practiced. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle might be convenient, but can harm the baby’s teeth. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they can eat away at the enamel, creating a condition known as bottle mouth. Severe cases result in cavities and the need to pull all of the front teeth until the permanent ones grow in.