Kids' Dentist Fact and Fiction

The world has become over informative. Anyone with a little knowledge can pass it off as fact, and new mothers, for instance, who are especially thirsty for information are often fed numerous lies without knowing it. Take for example, a child's dental needs. It's important to meet with a dentist to get the right information, but this article provides a primer of the type of info you'll need for your child's dental care.

The widely spread false assumption is that baby teeth are not as important as adult teeth. While parents brush a child's teeth, perhaps even regularly, a vast number of them do not take preventative action as they would for their own teeth. Baby teeth are the foundation for permanent teeth, and neglecting them leaves poor gum and bone conditions in which adult teeth must fight to thrive. If baby teeth are not cared for properly and fall out too soon, it causes spacing and bite issues for impending adult teeth as well. Your child's dentist will be able to monitor the progress of growth, but you should take steps to impart proper care early on.

Pacifiers and thumb sucking grabs the attention of everyone. Here is the simple truth: sucking is a basic need for infants and babies. It is not only essential for eating, but it is the only self-comforting technique a baby has. Infants who use pacifiers also have decreased risk for SIDS, and studies show that children who discontinue use of pacifiers or thumb sucking at or around age two have no adverse effects. Older children who are dependent on thumbs or pacifiers can possibly suffer from protruding teeth, which can potentially influence the need for braces later in life. 

Bottle baby mouth, however, is a real concern, say dentists. This occurs most usually when a child is allowed to fall asleep with a bottle in its mouth. It is not the sucking motion or the position of the bottle that causes the issue, it is the pooling of milk on the teeth. The will decay teeth quick. It also not a safe practice to take up according to SIDS studies. The recommended way to feed a baby who is using a bottle is to hold it close as if you were nursing, hold the bottle yourself, keep the child awake as he eats, and lay him down without the bottle. If a child will not fall asleep without a bottle in its mouth, it is because he has been taught fall asleep that way. For the sake of his safety and his teeth, hold a baby while it is eating, and never use juice in a bottle for any reason. Juice should always be offered in a cup. The sugar in juice combine with the sucking motion will wreak havoc on baby teeth, and as you know, bad baby teeth set a precedent for adult teeth.

From birth, the care for an infant's teeth (as recommended by the dentist) should start with you getting into the habit of swabbing an infant's gums. Use gauze, a soft, wet cloth, a soft bristled infant brush, or a gum massager daily. Use it twice daily, or after every feeding if possible. Parents know that one of the biggest battles is getting children to regularly brush, and starting in infancy is not only important for gum and baby teeth health, but it sets an example to be followed throughout life.