DENTAL CARE INFORMATION
Normal Dental Development
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- First baby teeth erupt around 6 - 8 months of age
- By age of 2, all 20 baby teeth have erupted in mouth
- Baby teeth start to fall out at about 6 years of age
- By age of 12 - 13, all adult teeth have erupted except wisdom teeth
Common oral conditions in children
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- Dental decays
- Malocclusion
- Dental trauma
- Gum disease
- Tooth wear
How many children are affected?
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- 47.1% of 5–6 year old children in the US experienced dental decays in their baby teeth.
- 43.8% of 12 year old children in the US experienced dental decays in their adult teeth. (Children Dental Health Survey 2021)
Healthy Teeth for Babies
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- After teeth erupt, clean the child’s teeth at least twice a day with a mini toothbrush
- Avoid giving children bottles containing sugary liquids to sleep, including milk
- Avoid dipping a pacifier in anything sweet
- When can a child brush his/her own teeth? Usually 4-7 years
- Best times for brushing are after breakfast and before bed
How to brush your teeth?​
How to teach your child to brush his/her teeth?
Diet and dental health
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- About 90% of all foods contain sugars or starches that enable bacteria in dental plaque to produce acids. This attack by bacterial acid, lasting 20 minutes or more, can lead to loss of tooth mineral and to cavities.
- Acids present in carbonated beverages can have a greater negative effect (i.e., erosion) on enamel than the acids produced by bacteria from the sugars present in sweetened drinks.
Healthy food healthy teeth
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- Provide a balanced diet and save foods with sugar or starch for meal times.
- Limit the number of snack times. Choose nutritious snacks (e.g. cheese, vegetables, yogurt, peanut butter and milk.)
- Select products that are sugar-free (e.g. xylitol chewing gum)
Cavity fighters
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- Fluoride encourages "remineralization”
- Your child should use toothpaste with fluoride and should not swallow any toothpaste.
- Dentist can apply topical fluoride