Dental Health
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center recommend that your child's first dental visit should be six months following the eruption of the first primary tooth or no later than age one. At this visit your dentist will examine for cavities, proper dental development and educate you on how to properly care for your child's teeth. Start your child off with a healthy smile.
Teething
It is an extremely happy time for you as a parent when your child begins to have his or her first teeth. Often, a host of symptoms may be blamed for teething that may delay your seeking appropriate medical care for more serious problems. It is not uncommon for a child to develop eczema, diaper rash, sleep disturbances, ear infections and upper respiratory problems in early infancy. At the same time, your child is also getting his or her first teeth and many of these symptoms are blamed on the teeth. The only symptoms generally associated with teething are low-grade fever (not over 101 F) and minor discomfort. Teething is not associated with ear infections, diarrhea, or cold symptoms. The treatment recommended is the use of children's pain medications and teethers.
Pacifying Your Infant
Long term use of a pacifier can interfere with proper alignment and occlusion of the teeth, but is usually stopped easier than a thumb habit. If, however, you allow your child to use a pacifier, you should:
- Encourage your child to use a pacifier rather than suck his or her thumb because it is easier to break the pacifier habit
- Select a sturdy, flexible pacifier for your baby
- Never attach a pacifier around your baby's neck
- Do not apply sweeteners to a pacifier
- Replace the pacifier every few months
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Nursing bottle decay is a rapid form of decay that affects the upper front teeth and upper and lower back teeth. Frequently this disease process results in the premature loss of teeth. If teeth are lost, this will create special social problems, not to mention probable difficulties with the permanent teeth. Some of the damaging effects of such decay can be seen in the picture. Faculty and staff of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Cincinnati Children's recommend the following:
- Choose a dentist by age 1 or when your baby's first tooth erupts
- Don't put your baby to bed with a bottle filled with liquids other than water, because they can cause tooth decay
- Never use the bottle as a pacifier during nap or bedtime
- Breast feeding on demand throughout the night may contribute to dental decay
- Even when your child has no teeth, wiping your child's teeth and gums with a baby cloth or cotton gauze after each feeding is a good habit to start
Tooth decay can contribute to other health problems and children with baby bottle tooth decay can weigh less than their peers.
Why are baby teeth important? Do baby teeth matter since they will fall out any way?
Losing baby teeth early can:
- Make eating more difficult
- Affect appearance
- Affect speech
- Create needless pain and infection that can lead to hospitalization
- Create spacing problems for permanent teeth
- Affect self esteem
- Affect child's growth
- Impact medical care especially those who are medically compromised
Trauma Prevention
Many oral injuries children experience, such as chipped teeth like seen in the picture, can be avoided by a few precautionary steps. Mouth injuries are common in toddlers particularly when learning to walk. Most mouth injuries result from a fall or an accident while playing. Because oralfacial injuries increase each year from age 1 to 6, it is important that you take proper precautions to prevent injuries. Precautions include:
- Always using a properly sized car seat for your child
- Child-proofing sharp corners of tables and windowsills, placing safety railings on beds and putting gates in front of stairs
- Preventing injuries by moving furniture out of the way to create clear paths for walking (One of the most common areas for injury is a coffee table.)
- Making sure your child uses a mouthguard for contact sports such as rollerblading, bike riding, soccer, basketball, football, scooters, etc.
If your child has an accident injuring the mouth, it is important to contact your dentist.
Contact Us
For additional information on this or any Health Topic, please call the Family Resource Center, 513-636-7606, or your pediatrician.
rev. 5/06
