February is Children's Dental Health Month, and Dr. Mike Richler, pediatric dentist at Nashoba Family Dentists, wants to be sure you have up-to-date information on taking care of your children's dental health. Here is Dr. Mike's advice:
Get an early start on regular dental care for your child!
Bring your infant to Dr. Mike for the first visit after the first tooth erupts and no later than their first birthday. Dr. Mike will make sure that you have a good plan for home dental care including brushing, flossing, diet, cup/pacifier use, finger sucking, and using flouride.
It's important to take care of baby teeth
Keep those baby teeth clean. They help maintain good nutrition by allowing your child to chew properly and are important for speech development. They also hold space for developing adult teeth.
How do I know if my child is getting the appropriate amount of fluoride in their diet?
If you do not reside in a community that has fluoridated water or have the appropriate amount of natural fluoride in your well water, your child will need some sort of supplement in their diet. Dr. Mike can help you determine how much of a supplement your child needs based upon their weight, age, current water fluoride level, and brand of toothpaste.
Can my child’s diet affect their dental health?
Absolutely. It is important that you initiate a balanced diet for your child so that their teeth develop appropriately. In addition, this will positively affect healthy gum tissue surrounding the teeth. Please note that a diet high in sugar and other forms of carbohydrates may increase the probability of tooth decay. Cavities can form in baby teeth -- all that's needed is bacteria, sugars (carbohydrates) and time or exposure. Limiting exposure to sugar and keeping teeth clean will reduce the likelihood of cavities.
How do I create a diet that is safe for my child’s teeth?
Consider how often your child is eating starch-based foods, such as breads, pasta, potato chips, etc. and sugary foods. Sugar is found in more than just candy. All types of sugars can promote tooth decay. For example, most milk-based products contain sugar. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a favorite for bagged lunches. Unfortunately, it includes sugar not only in the jelly, but also in some varieties of peanut butter. For less sugar and more flavor and nutrients, try replacing jelly with fresh fruit slices (apples, pears, or bananas).
Should I eliminate all sugar and starch from my child’s diet?
No, many of these foods are incredibly important to your child’s health. Starch-based foods are much safer to eat for teeth when eaten with an entire meal. Foods that stick to teeth are also more difficult to wash away by water, saliva, or other drinks. Be sure to talk to Dr. Mike and our staff about your child’s diet.
What helpful information can you give me regarding tooth decay in infants?
It's important to not expose your child's teeth to foods or drinks containing sugar during sleep. Don’t nurse your children to sleep, and don't put them to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or formula. When a child is sleeping, any liquid that remains in the mouth can support the bacteria that produce acid and harm the teeth. A simple pacifier or bottle of water is fine.
What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?
Contact our office as soon as possible.
What do I do if my child has a toothache?
Call our office immediately to schedule an appointment. To help comfort your child, rinse out the mouth with cold water and apply a compress.
Look for our article on dental health for older children in two weeks!
Dr. Mike, Dr. Curley, and Nashoba Family Dentists' team of providers really look forward to meeting your family!
Nashoba Family Dentists offers total dental health care for your family. Our modern office has been in Littleton for over 30 years. For those thirty years, our top priority has always been the comfort and well being of our patients. Dr. Brendan Curley lives in the community he practices in and spends time outside the office coaching town soccer and football teams for his own children.
Give our office a call today at 978-486-8261 ~ we hope to see you soon!
Nashoba Family Dentists
256 Great Road
Littleton MA 01460
(978) 486-8261
Website: https://www.nashobafamilydentists.com/
Email: NashobaFamilyDentists@hotmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nashoba-Family-Dentists-152669861438058/
