The Facts About Your Child’s Dental Health

At what age should your child go to the dentist for the first time? They are just baby teeth ... right? How did my child get so many cavities? These are just a few of the many questions of concern received by the Children’s Dental Group of South Carolina team every day. 

    Many parents are surprised and unaware of the fact that babies are not born with the bacteria strain that causes caries—an oral disease that causes cavities. Studies reveal that parents, relatives and/or caregivers typically expose children to this disease before a child reaches the age of 2 by the transfer of saliva into the child’s mouth. Seemingly harmless activities can become problematic, such as repeatedly eating from the same spoon as the baby; allowing a toddler to brush his or her teeth with the adult’s toothbrush; or by simply giving the child a kiss on the lips. 

    Furthermore, an astonishing 4 million preschoolers suffer from tooth decay today—an increase of more than 600,000 kids over the last decade. Unfortunately, that number continues to rise due to the types of foods and beverages that children eat and drink today.

    “We find that many parents don’t realize that the liquids that are given to children in ‘sippy’ cups or bottles are, in fact, often the culprits of tooth decay,” states a team member of the Children’s Dental Group of South Carolina, located at 7210 Broad River Road, Suite K, in Irmo. Once decay is present in a toddler’s mouth, it quickly spreads just like any other disease one might contract. Tooth decay is like cancer—if you don’t address the problem within a timely manner, it can spread very quickly from one tooth to another. The process is even faster with a baby’s primary teeth.” 

    The enamel on primary teeth is not as dense or thick as permanent teeth; therefore, when caries is present on primary teeth, it is extremely important to get it taken care of as soon as possible to avoid losing the tooth prematurely. If caries reaches the nerve of a primary tooth and becomes abscessed or infected, that tooth will most likely need to be extracted, whether it is due to fall out or not. 

    Primary teeth are also important in order to maintain space for one’s permanent teeth. If a primary tooth is lost too early in the child’s development, it could create spacing issues for permanent teeth in the future. This is yet another reason why we treat baby teeth seriously. 

    So, how can a parent, or caregiver, prevent the development of caries in a child’s mouth? Some helpful tips include wiping the gums and teeth of a small child with a warm, soft cloth after every bottle; introducing the child to a toothbrush once he or she has two to four teeth present; using a training toothpaste with no fluoride until the child knows how to spit; and assisting the child in the brushing process at least until he or she is able to tie his or her own shoes. In addition, introducing a child to floss around the age of 2 allows him or her to become familiar with flossing and form an ongoing habit.

    February is Children’s Dental Month. And, at Children’s Dental Group of South Carolina, the goal and mission is to educate parents and patients early on in order to create healthy oral hygiene habits that last a lifetime. Each qualified staff member is passionate about creating and maintaining a fun-loving, kid-friendly environment to ensure patients have the best experiences possible—growing to love the trip to the dentist, not dreading it.

For more information, call 803-781-5141 or visit SCChildrensDentalGroup.com.