Parents will do anything to make their children smile, yet many are missing the preventative measures and specialized care needed to keep smiles healthy. The AAPD recently sponsored a survey to see what moms knew about proper oral health care for their children. The survey results found that a staggering number of moms are misinformed about the importance of infant dental visits and proper at-home care.The survey showed an overwhelming 97 percent of respondents didn't know their children needed to visit a pediatric dentist in the first year of life, leaving a large number of infants potentially vulnerable to tooth decay and disease. Tooth decay can begin as early as the teeth begin to emerge, typically at six months, and often progresses rapidly.
The survey also found that while approximately 75 percent of moms were aware of the specialty of pediatric dentistry, more than half had never taken their children to visit primary care pediatric dentists.
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.
