Early Care is Important
"All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" is a funny first line from an old song but, unfortunately, there is a widespread belief amongst adults (and even older children) that their (deciduous) milk teeth are not important "because they are going to fall out anyway". This view is totally wrong as problems such as decay and early milk tooth loss can lead to problems such as:

When your child is about 6, the first grown-up molar teeth come through at the back of the mouth without them losing a milk tooth. There are four of these, one in each corner. These have deep grooves in the biting surface and the plaque that causes decay when sugar is eaten gets trapped in these deep fissures (grooves). This is often where the first decay occurs. At 'Teeth for Life' we offer 'fissure sealants' - a special plastic coating painted into the grooves when the teeth first come through. Once they are sealed there is nowhere for the plaque to get caught and therefore tooth decay can be avoided.

Awareness
As parents, you will want to do all you can to ensure that your children brush their teeth regularly and correctly but this whole process is a difficult one when children may not comprehend the importance of doing it - and thoroughly. We can discuss ways in which to encourage your child to brush efficiently and adopt other oral hygiene tricks that are tried and tested. We can also discuss ways to ensure that the teeth are protected from foods and products that result in decay.

Did You Know?
(extract from a report written by Dr Stemmer for Oral B)

• Children need to visit a dentist regularly for check ups for cavities (fillings) however 63% of 5-10 year olds also show signs of gum disease. Detection and treatment of gum disease is of paramount importance.


• 5-8 year olds who attend the dentist only when they have trouble with their teeth have much higher decay rates, missing and filled teeth than those who have had regular check ups. Children whose mothers attend the dentist regularly themselves, have fewer decay rates.


• There has been NO CHANGE in the number of attendances to the dentist in the last 15 yrs, yet the levels of decay have reduced - e.g. down from 71% to 61% in 9 year olds. This illustrates that education, oral care at home and a good diet is of prime importance.
• 75% of mothers, who attended the dentist regularly, take their child to the dentist before the age of 5.


• From research carried out amongst the dental health profession, it has been revealed that oral care was too far down on the list of top ten concerns that parents have for their babies and children. Dr Carol Mason of Eastman Dental Institute believes that oral care is much lower on the scale than say inoculations, eating the right food and sleeping well (and even designer clothes). This is a far lower priority than it should be, as very early care can significantly reduce decay and gum disease as well as start the child off on a good oral routine, which then becomes second nature.


• The concerns and actions of the mother towards her child's oral care will often depend on her own experiences at the dentist. Many dentists /hygienists will confirm that if the experiences were good she will be motivated to look after the teeth of her off spring well. If, however, she had bad experiences then she may react in two ways:

  (a) be very careful to protect her child's teeth to avoid having similar bad experiences
  (b) be traumatised and maybe even phobic towards visits to the dentist. This may lead to neglect of her child's dental needs out of fear!

With a little correct knowledge, parents can make a huge difference to the oral health of their child. To help you, below are the main tips as agreed by international bodies (British Society of Paediatric Dentistry and American Dental Association):

• Brush teeth twice a day - ideally before breakfast so the plaque is removed and fluoride is deposited on the teeth, and again last thing at night.


• Use an appropriately sized toothbrush as a large brush will not clean as well as a small one and may put the child off brushing in the future. An electric toothbrush may be useful for children if they prefer it. Anything that will help and encourage the child to brush is of great benefit.


• To encourage very young children to brush, always try to make brushing a fun activity. A good way to do this is for parents to brush their teeth first and then the child will want to copy. As they grow older they will want to brush on their own (which they cannot do thoroughly until approx 8 years of age), so it is a good policy to say, "first mum or dad will brush your teeth and then it will be your turn to brush your teeth". Sometimes there is resistance to brushing at all, but if the routine is started very young it will become as natural an activity as putting their clothes on. (Always use pleasant tasting fluoride containing toothpaste).


• Use toothpaste containing fluoride (the size of a small pea). Use low fluoride below 600 ppm (parts per million) for children aged 6/12 to 2 yrs; medium fluoride 1000 - 1000ppm for children aged 2yrs - 4 yrs; high fluoride 1500ppm for children aged 4 yrs +.


• Avoid sugary (refined sugar as in cakes, sweets, chocolate, drinks etc) foods or drinks between meals. When eating /drinking sugary foods or drinks then combine this with other non decay making foods such as fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese and other savouries.


• Do not introduce refined sugar (not natural sugar found in fruit and vegetables) early in a child's life. A diet low in refined sugary snacks will also be excellent for general health.


• Drinks should be water - the best drink - the child will drink it if they are thirsty! Avoid drinks with sugar at night and sugar in the bottle or feeder.


• Limit acidic food and drink to avoid erosion (dissolving of the teeth). Note many diet drinks, although they have no sugar are VERY ACIDIC and can literally dissolve the teeth.


• Take your child to the dentist as soon as they can understand the concept - generally this is from the age of 1- years of age. They will then get used to going to the dentist in a friendly non-threatening way - a very good basis for the future, since visits to the dentist will be a fun and pleasant experience which builds trust and friendship with the Dentist (as opposed to the fear and phobias from which previous generations suffered).