Many mothers do not realize that baby teeth need special care, even for infants. Studies show that dental costs for children who have their first dental visit before age one are 40 percent lower in the first five years than for those who do not see a dentist prior to their first birthday. Baby teeth can suffer from tooth decay and cavities that cause infants pain and may require extensive dental treatments, even root canals.
A recent survey sponsored by The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) found that most moms are unaware of the care that infant teeth need. Some statistics from the survey include:
- 97 percent of respondents did not know their children needed to visit a pediatric dentist within the first year of life (recommended by the AAPD)
- Only one-third (33 percent) of moms considered oral health a concern for their infants
- Nearly half (45 percent) of moms surveyed did not regularly clean their babies’ mouths
- Less than one-third of moms began brushing their children’s teeth before the age of one
The AAPD recommends the following “Get it Done in Year One” Checklist to keep infant mouths healthy and prevent infection:
Clean infants’ mouths and gums regularly with a soft infant toothbrush or cloth and water. Once baby teeth appear, brush them at least twice daily with an age-appropriate sized toothbrush and a “smear” of fluoridated toothpaste.
Give children older than six months fluoride supplements if their drinking water does not contain enough fluoride. (Fluoride supplementation in infants has been shown to reduce tooth decay by as much as 50 percent.)
Wean infants from the bottle by 12-14 months of age. Have infants drink from a cup as they approach their first birthday.
Visit the pediatric dentist before children’s first birthday and twice annually following the first appointment.
Avoid at-will breast feeding after the first baby tooth appears and other foods are introduced.
