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Child Dental Health and Baby Teeth Care

Your family dentist is treating the babies of Baby Boomers now, lots and lots of them! But the new generation can expect entirely different child dental health experiences than Mom and Dad remember. Fluorides and sealants have virtually eliminated the rampant tooth decay problems of the early '50s. For Baby Boomer's Babies, cavity prevention should be, well, a piece of cake.

Teething: Baby teeth do grown-up duty

Primary teeth work hard. Those 20 teeth pave the way for permanent teeth. If they're lost prematurely, replacement teeth can crop up in unexpected, and unhealthy, places. Keep every tooth you can in that young noggin.

Boys being boys

Boys, young and old, have written the book on knocked-out teeth. If it's not a skateboard accident, it's falling off fences. But since girls are participating in sports more frequently now, statistics are expected to equalize. Good argument for a mouth guard.

Glad to meet you, Doc

That all-important first visit to the pedodontist (pediatric dentist) should come early on. The family dentist needs a little time to gain trust, so he or she would rather see a child at a young age, before he or she needs to see a drill because of cavities.

What can a parent do when the baby's brand new?

Get your child used to the feeling of clean teeth. Child dental care should begin in babyhood before teething begins by gently rubbing the teeth and gums with a pad of gauze after every feeding. This is when positive dental health attitudes begin. And never put your baby to bed with a bottle full of milk. Cavities can develop even before a child's teeth have erupted from what is known as baby bottle tooth decay.

The Tooth Fairy, bull or bear market?

What's the going rate for a lost baby tooth? In an informal survey, the highest reward for a tooth under the pillow was $5.00, reflecting a very good year for the child! More commonly, the payment ranges from 25¢ to a dollar. A youngster who banks all his money from the tooth fairy can put away $5-$20 for a rainy day.

Hey, Dude, rad braces!

Who ever thought braces could be a fashion statement? Check it out: retainers now come in neon and glow-in-the-dark colors, and elastics can be had in Monster Purple and Slime Green. Allllriiiiiight.

Barnyard pediatric dentistry

Lucky for us it's the 21st century. Dental folklore in the mid-1800's proposed this treatment for growing youngsters: "To make the teeth of children grow hastily, take the brain of a hen and rub the gums therewith." If nothing else, there was fried chicken for Sunday dinner, anyway.

Different strokes

A study of tooth brushing techniques in groups of children aged 7 through 11 shows definite styles of brushing, according to age. Younger children use long, exuberant, not-too-effective strokes (parents must help!) and fewer of them; older kids use more pressure and more frequent, shorter strokes. Just remember what every pediatric dentist will tell you: the key to good child dental health is practice, practice, practice.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Health Care: Discolored Primary Teeth

Discoloration of the primary (baby) incisors (front teeth) is most often noticed by parents. This discoloration may be extrinsic or intrinsic. Tooth brushing or a professional cleaning can remove extrinsic discolorations or stains. Intrinsic discoloration occurs within the tooth structure.

Some apple juices and grape juice may cause staining. This type of stain can usually be brushed off the teeth at home. If your child has a tendency to stain, try diluting the juice with water. Once the enamel begins to break down, the staining may be more difficult to remove because it is deep down in the tiny holes created by break down of the enamel. This could progress on to decay. If the teeth appear to be a dull, white color in some spots, discontinue juices completely or dilute the juice with water. Juice is twenty times more decay-causing than milk. Juices should be limited to mealtime only.

Liquid and chewable medicines have a high sugar content and most are colored with dye. A light yellow-brown film may cover the teeth. This occurs most often on the bottom front teeth. Bedtime tooth brushing is especially important when your child is taking liquid or chewable medicine. Tetracycline is the only antibiotic that could cause damage to the developing permanent teeth if given before eight years of age.

Iron in chewable or liquid vitamins may cause staining of the grooves of the primary (baby) molars. This is difficult to remove, but overall is harmless.

You must brush your child's teeth until six years of age. Bedtime brushing is the most important time of day. Staining may occur if plaque remains on teeth for a long period of time. Plaque is made up of cells from the inside of the mouth, bacteria, and food residues. Teeth may appear to be discolored, but a thorough brushing may remove this stain. Do not use toothpaste until two years of age. Baking soda toothpaste seems to be best for stain removal.

Bacteria called chromogenic (colored) bacteria may cause a dark green or brown stain on the teeth. This stain is usually along the gum line. These bacteria are harmless and will one day just disappear. We do not know why they grow in some mouths and not others. A professional cleaning is usually necessary to remove this stain.

Intrinsic discoloration cannot be removed by cleaning the teeth. This occurs because the enamel on the primary teeth did not form in the usual manner. This may be inherited from one or both parents. It does not necessarily mean that the primary teeth will be more susceptible to decay or that the permanent teeth will have the same appearance.

Trauma to a primary incisor (front tooth) may cause discoloration. If the blood vessels deep inside the tooth break, the blood may be absorbed into the tiny tubes that travel from the inside of the tooth to the outer enamel layer. This is similar to a black and blue mark on the skin. Enamel is translucent, so you can see the evidence of the damage. This may resolve without treatment, but your pediatric dentist should be consulted. A procedure to remove the tissue from the inside of the tooth (pulpectomy) may be necessary.

by Jane A. Soxman, DDS

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.