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New Parents: Educate Yourselves About Children’s Oral Health

Last updated April 17, 2023

Today’s message is for new parents or couples planning for children sometime in the future.

An Epidemic of Tooth Decay in Young Children

The statistics on early childhood tooth decay are sobering. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 42% of U.S. children between 2 and 11 years old have in their primary teeth. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/dental-caries/children

At Summer Dental – Kids|Adults|Braces, we are passionate about helping today’s toddlers avoid the prevalent tooth decay that has plagued previous generations. If young children are protected from birth, they are more likely to maintain good oral health throughout the rest of their childhood. But this is only possible if parents make it a priority. We urge new parents to be proactive about children’s dental health from the moment they leave the hospital.

You do your best to guard your children against illness and infection. It’s crucial to understand that tooth decay is an infectious disease with serious long-term consequences.

Anticipatory Guidance (ADA-Speak For Preventative Dentistry For Kids)

Here is what we at Summer Dental – Kids|Adults|Braces (and the American Dental Association) recommend regarding a toddler’s first dental visit:

It is advantageous for the first visit to occur within six months of the eruption of the first tooth and no later than 12 months of age, and receiving oral health education based on the child’s developmental needs (also known as anticipatory guidance). https://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-early-childhood-caries

Educate yourselves on how to prevent early childhood dental decay before teeth erupt. Then you will avoid creating habits that put teeth in jeopardy.

Are You Up To Speed On Best Practices?

For example, you are probably aware that putting a baby to bed with a bottle creates an ideal environment for decay. But did you know that at-will breastfeeding throughout the night is also dangerous for baby’s teeth?

Other common habits like frequent juice consumption and toddlers drinking from bottles all have dental consequences. Talk to us at Summer Dental – Kids|Adults|Braces for critical guidance about children’s oral health needs.

We know that sleep-deprived new parents have a lot to worry about and it’s impossible to act on every well-meaning intention. Just make sure your child’s dental health isn’t put on the back burner while you figure out how to make everything work. After all, you wouldn’t put off using a child car safety seat or scheduling well-child pediatrician visits.