Dentists to parents: Tots need tooth care, too

 The dental advice to parents is simple - the earlier, the better.
"Tooth decay is nearly 100 percent preventable, but to help prevent cavities, it's important to begin good oral health habits, like visiting the dentist, when children are very young," said Dr. Ed Schooley, dental director for Delta Dental of Iowa.

The "Dentist by 1" campaign aims to get very young children in to see their family dentist within six months of getting their first tooth, and no later than their first birthday. Only about 8 percent of Iowa children see a dentist by age 1.

The campaign is supported by the Iowa Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Iowa Academy of Family Physicians, Iowa Department of Public Health and University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Here are five things to know about young children and oral health.

1 Earlier is better than later
"We want to prevent decay from happening in the first place," said Dr. Karin Weber-Gasparoni, associate professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Iowa. "If we see them so early in life, we have the opportunity to help parents to establish good oral health habits that can be carried over time. It's hard to change bad oral health habits."
Waiting until all the baby teeth emerge to see a dentist is a common myth.
"That's too late sometimes," Schooley said. "We have learned a lot from well-baby visits on the medical side."
Similar to well-baby care, early dental care can provide children with a base for good oral health.
Studies show that early preventive dental care costs less than future dental treatment.
"In some studies, if you wait until age 5, the treatment costs can be as much as twice as much," Schooley said.

2 Treat oral health seriously
"People don't realize that tooth decay is a communicable disease," Schooley said. "You can pass it on, typically from the parent to the child."
A child is born with a cavity-free mouth, but parents can pass the bacteria that can cause cavities to an infant by sharing eating utensils or by cleaning off a pacifier by mouth.

3 Helpful initial steps
Clean a baby's gums with a damp washcloth after eating and drinking and use a soft toothbrush and water to brush a baby's teeth and gums twice per day.

4 Avoid bedtime bottles
Bottles of milk in bed at nap time or at night can harm teeth and gums.
"Sometimes kids will only go to sleep with a bottle," Schooley said. "It's what you put in the bottle that makes all the difference. Use water. Sugars in the milk act as food for the bacteria in the mouth and can cause acid that can cause tooth decay."

5 Lessen fears
Parents can ease a child's anxiety about dental visits by playing "dentist" with a
stuffed animal or doll and by visiting the dentist's
office before the appointment.

Copyright 2012 Woodward Communications, Inc.
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Source:- dentistryiq