Childrens Dentistry:
Preventing Tooth Decay

Some factors leading to dental caries are:

• Acid producing bacteria
• Fermentable carbohydrates
• Repeated exposures to sugar

Baby Tooth Decay

Prevention of tooth decay in infants begins before the first tooth erupts. One's mouth contains millions of bacteria, so do not share your eating utensils with your infant. The bacteria from your mouth can be transferred to your infant's mouth and may infect your infant's teeth, especially if you already have dental caries.

Teething in infants occurs between 6 and 12 months of age. Childrens dentistry experts recommend that as soon as the first baby teeth erupt parents need to clean them with a fresh, damp cloth twice a day. They also recommend using a baby tooth cleanser.

Baby Bottle Syndrome

Infants can get cavities just like older children, teens, and adults. However, baby bottle syndrome, is caused by a particular set of circumstances. Nursing bottle cavities occur when an infant is allowed to fall asleep nursing a bottle containing a fermentable carbohydrate (like sugar water or milk). The liquid pools around the teeth, the bacteria present will form acid, which eventually leads to decay.

To avoid baby bottle syndrome it is essential to give the baby only water in his bottle while he is sleeping. Any food or drink, which is in a baby's mouth at this time stays there many hours and promotes dental caries.

Preventing Early Dental Caries (Tooth Decay)

Many oral medications for children contain sucrose, another cause of early dental caries. To prevent ECC, clean your child's teeth with water and toothbrush after every administration of oral medication.

Good childrens dentistry practitioners recommend that children should be taken for a first visit to a dentist 6 months after their first baby teeth erupt, or before they are 12 months old, and not at 3 years of age as previously considered optimum.

Sealant - a plastic material – is applied to the back teeth to help protect the grooves and pits of these teeth. The sealant provides a barrier against plaque and other harmful substances.

Prevention is Easy

As discussed above, preventing caries in children is easy and hardly any trouble at all, as long as a few simple childrens dentistry steps are taken. When it comes to dental hygiene, a stitch in time really does save nine (or more...teeth)!

For a complimentary examination appointment for your children to see what treatment, if any, might be right for them, please contact us online or call 650-965-1234.

We'll answer any questions you may have, and give you a free written estimate regarding costs and insurance benefits before you leave.

Call us today!

Dr. Burch