Information center: Health Tips
Tips for Your Child's Dental Health
by Dr. Pang
Although dental decay remains a common childhood problem, it is a preventable one. Dental decay is a bacterial infection cased by the bacteria Mutan Streptococcal and Lactobacilli. The sugar and starch in our diet serve as nutrients to the bacteria and allow them to grow and multiply. The bacteria produce acids that attack the teeth and cause cavities.
Most children become inoculated with the cavity-causing bacteria very early on - often soon after the first teeth appear, at about the age of one. The source is often the mother or caretaker who transfers the bacteria in her saliva to the toddler through kissing and sharing utensils. Once the bacteria can obtain a foothold in the toddler’s mouth, the decay process will begin if the diet is high in sugar or starch, and oral hygiene is neglected.
It is very important that you do not nurse your infant to sleep or put him to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or sweetened liquid. While your child sleeps, any unswallowed liquid in the mouth will support the growth of bacteria that produce acids and cause cavities. Put your child to bed with nothing more than a pacifier or a bottle of water.
Many of us know that sweet foods cause cavities, but some of us do not realize that savory foods such as pasta, crackers, pretzels, and potato chips cause dental decay, too, because of their high carbohydrate content. These “starchy” foods tend to cling onto the tooth surface and are not easily washed away by saliva. Fruits, although they are very good for your health, can cause cavities because of their high sugar contents. Did you know a large banana has about eight teaspoons of sugar and an apple has five teaspoons?
Most foods have the potential to cause cavities regardless of whether they are nutritious, sweet, or savory so long as they contain carbohydrates. Few foods, such as cheese and nuts, are totally “tooth-safe” but they may not be appropriate snacks for toddlers. Moreover, children should not be deprived of sweets, which are an integral part of a normal childhood. Therefore, regardless of what you feed your toddler, brush his teeth regularly. Select and serve sweets wisely. Sweet foods are safer for teeth when served right after a meal, but sticky sweet foods, such as dried fruits and caramel should be avoided.
More tips for your toddler’s dental health:
- Maintain good oral hygiene yourselves as parents and there will be less bacteria from you to be transferred to your toddler.
- Give your toddler three main meals and a balanced diet daily. A balanced diet is one that includes fruits and vegetables, bread and cereals, milk and dairy products, meat, fish and eggs.
- Limit the number of snack times. One snack between meals is acceptable. Give your toddler nutritious snacks, such as fruits and vegetables
- .Brush your toddler’s teeth twice a day and floss once a day. Use a brand of toothpaste that contains fluoride, but apply only a pea-size amount because young children, before the age of six years, tend to swallow most of the toothpaste. If your toddler insists on brushing his teeth, let him do it, but brush for him afterward. Children do not develop the dexterity to brush well by themselves until they are eight years old or more.
- Fluoride is an essential mineral that is effective against dental decay at appropriate dosage. If your drinking water does not have fluoride, ask your pediatrician or pediatric dentist about the need to give your toddler fluoride supplements.
- Soon after your child’s first teeth appear, take him to see a pediatric dentist and have regular check ups. Like your pediatrician, a pediatric dentist specializes in taking care of children of all ages. If you do not know of a pediatric dentist, ask your pediatrician for a referral.
Dr. Dorothy Pang is a pediatric dentist in San Francisco and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. If you have any questions about this article, please call Dr. Pang at her private practice at 415-681-8500.
