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Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
Do you brush your DC's teeth in the morning (those in daycare)?
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Anonymous
No, the world won't end but you will probably feel kind of bad if you need to sedate your child for fillings or root canals. There are a lot of things that are very hard about parenting and working full time. But jeeze, brushing their little teeth really isn't on the top of the difficulty scale. |
Anonymous
Root canals. Like I said, melodrama. I was the youngest of 5 kids with a working mom. I'm pretty sure I didn't brush my teeth until I was like 5. And I've never had a cavity in my life. |
Anonymous
Every time you post, you sound more and more like an uppity bitch. If you think my 18 month old is going to need a root canal by the time he's 3 because right now we only brush his teeth once a day, YOU are the ignorant one. |
Anonymous
A little defensive, huh? |
Anonymous
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http://dentalresource.org/topic54dentalcaries.html Early childhood caries is a “virulent” form of dental caries that can destroy the teeth of preschool children and toddlers. Early childhood caries can also be defined as the occurrence of any sign of dental caries on any tooth surface during the first 3 years of a child’s life. Economically disadvantaged children are the most vulnerable to ECC. Early childhood caries is an infectious disease, and the Streptococcus mutans bacteria is the main causative agent. Not only does S. mutans produce acid, it also thrives in acid. High sugar levels in the mouth increase the acid levels on the teeth. In children with ECC, oral Streptococcus mutans levels routinely exceed 30% of the cultivable dental plaque flora. The clinical pattern of ECC is rampant and characteristic: First affecting the primary upper anterior teeth, followed by the upper primary molar teeth. The initial appearance of early childhood caries is white areas of demineralization on the surface of the enamel along the gum line of the upper incisor teeth. These white spot lesions progress such that they later become cavities that have been discolored. The mandibular incisors are protected by saliva and the position of the tongue during feeding. The ECC process may be so rapid that the teeth appear to have cavities “from the moment they erupt.” The first event in the natural history of ECC is primary infection with S. mutans. The second event is the accumulation of S. mutans to pathologic levels, due to prolonged exposure to sugars. The third event is demineralization of enamel, which leads to cavity formation in teeth. Early infection with S. mutans is a significant risk factor for future development of dental caries. Colonization of an infant’s mouth with this bacteria is usually the result of transmission from the child’s mother. S. mutans can apparently colonize the mouths of infants even before their teeth erupt. Children at high risk for early childhood caries may develop carious lesions on their upper front teeth soon after they erupt into the mouth. As the disease progresses, decay appears on the biting surfaces of the primary upper first molars. New strategies for combating the infectious component using topical antimicrobial therapy appear promising. |
Anonymous
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http://dentalresource.org/parentsguide.html
Promoting Infant Oral Health Oral health is a vital component of overall infant health. A partnership between families, dental professionals, and other health professionals is necessary for achieving oral health in infants. Key elements in promoting infant oral health include: Early intervention. Caries risk assessment. Anticipatory guidance. Measurement of oral health outcomes. In spite of the current emphasis on preventive dental health, many children are still affected by dental caries. Caries in baby (primary) teeth is one of the most common health problems affecting young children. In 1996, a national oral health survey found that 38% of children, ages 2 through 9, had dental caries. Caries prevalence in children attending Head Start programs has reached 90% in some group samples. Early childhood caries (ECC) is also a leading cause of operating room admissions for children requiring dental restorations and extractions. Obtaining treatment for caries can be difficult, since according to a 1997 study, almost 4.2 million children in the U.S. were unable to obtain dental care. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease which affects children worldwide. It is an aggressive oral disease which can occur in children up to the age of three. It initially affects the upper front teeth, and eventually spreads to the primary first molars. This new term, ECC, encompasses baby bottle tooth decay, nursing caries, rampant caries, sipper cup caries, and caries related to consumption of soft drinks. The factors affecting the occurrence and severity of ECC include: Diet and nutrition. Oral hygiene. Fluoridation. Preventive dental measures. Transmission of cariogenic microbes from mother to child. A child's genetic susceptibility to dental disease. Salivary flow and its pH buffering capacity. Mucosal immunity. Lifestyle. A history of previous dental caries. Oral hygiene instructions should be provided during the prenatal period. The importance of good oral hygiene during pregnancy cannot be overemphasized. A mother's oral hygiene will affect the birth weight of her baby, as well as her own overall health. An infant's mouth contains millions of bacteria, including the infectious mutans streptococci. These bacteria are the initiators of the caries disease process. When a parent puts the baby's feeding spoon into his or her mouth, the mutans streptococci bacteria from the parent's mouth will be transferred back to the baby's mouth and infect the baby's teeth. This process can take place as early as eleven months of age. The danger of infecting the infant's teeth is increased when the mother already has the caries disease herself. In the past, children went to the dentist only after a problem was severe enough to be noticed by a parent. Such an outdated, reactive, approach is no longer appropriate in the age of preventive health, however. The infant oral health visit is now the foundation upon which a lifetime of oral and dental health can be built! The American Dental Association, the American Academy of General Dentistry, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry all recommend that a child's first oral health visit take place at 12 months of age, or shortly after the eruption of the first baby teeth. This is the ideal time for a dentist to evaluate a child's oral and dental health, as well as to diagnose any problems which may exist. The goals of the infant oral health visit are to: Assess the child's risk for dental disease. Provide anticipatory guidance. Begin a dental preventive program. Determine the most appropriate dental recall schedule for the child. During a child's first dental visit, the dentist will: Ask about the child's medical history. Inquire about dietary and feeding habits. Assess the need for fluoride supplements. Evaluate the child's oral hygiene. Examine the mouth for dental caries or other problems. Perform a caries risk assessment. Discuss age-appropriate oral hygiene techniques. A caries risk assessment includes evaluating background factors, developing a case history, providing a clinical examination, and possibly taking an oral microbial sample. During the caries risk assessment, the dentist will especially be looking for signs of ECC. One important warning sign of the caries disease is "white spot lesions." These are white, chalky areas on the front teeth, close to the gum line. These decalcifications, caused by acid-producing bacteria, directly precede irreversible loss of tooth structure. Oral hygiene techniques may be modified depending on a child's age. For small infants, the gums need to be cleaned once or twice a day with a piece of clean gauze. This will help to establish a healthy oral environment for the baby teeth. Infants should be introduced to the toothbrush around the age of one. A baby tooth cleanser should be used up to the age of 2.5 . Around the age of 2.5, a pea-sized drop of children's toothpaste can be applied to the toddler's brush. Brushing baby teeth can be quite a challenge for new parents. Some infants and toddlers may refuse to let parents brush their teeth. What can parents do? Parents can experiment with various rewards for good behavior during brushing. The initial tooth brushing attempts need to last only 5 seconds or so - and some little reward should be provided immediately thereafter. The time spent brushing the teeth can be gradually increased later on. Using this "rewards technique," parents can follow the first successful attempt at tooth brushing with letting their baby "play with a favorite toy" or "play a favorite game with mom or dad." The good news is that infant oral health is achievable! By providing a healthy diet, minimizing the consumption of sweets, cleaning a child's teeth twice a day, and getting early dental examinations, a child can have a happy, healthy smile. An article in American Family Physician reviews the principles of infant oral health. |
Anonymous
At least two minutes. If you are so concerned about your child's oral health, don't fool yourself that 30 seconds is enough. http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/brushing-flossing-child-teeth http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Information/OralHealthAtAnyAge/InfantsAndChildren/ToddlersChildren/BrushingFlossingYourChildsTeeth.cvsp http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalcarebyage/a/cdbrushing.htm |
Anonymous
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New poster here. I have to agree that it is a real pain to brush our 2yo DD, especially in the morning. She stays still long enough only to eat the toothpaste and then wiggles out of my arms. No wonder our dentist will not see any kids until they are over 2.5yo.
Do we ever miss brushing her teeth? Yes. Do we feel bad? Yes. Are we worried? No, we do the best we can and it's not end of the world. |
Anonymous
My kid has 4 freakin teeth! I'm not going to scrub at his four little teeth for two straight minutes. |
Anonymous
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NP here.
Does your kid brush his/her teeth at daycare? I know at mine, they brush after the morning snack and after lunch - we have to provide new toothbrushes and toothpaste every few months. If they are brushing at least once at daycare, and you're taking care of the evening brush, then you've got your twice a day requirement met - without having to deal with the morning brushing! |
Anonymous
You are lucky....mine doesn't do that. It's a great idea though because kids are more willing when they see the other ones doing the same thing. |
Anonymous
This made me think that the bitchy poster is the same troll who was stirring the pot on the federal employees leave donation thread in OT. The one who told someone that they aren't donating leave so that the OP could "sit at home and eat bon-bons" during maternity leave (as if caring for a newborn were somehow fun and easy!) The bon-bon quote and this quote above, in my opinion, would never be uttered by someone who has actually raised a child. I'm the PP whose kid loves to brush his teeth, and even I know that if he decided that teeth aren't so fun anymore, it would be WWIII trying to get him to brush his teeth. Anyway, this troll tends to make multiple inflammatory responses and make them all look like they're from different posters. It's starting to get old. |
Anonymous
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My mom is a dental hygienist and gave us a bunch of tips during her recent visit.
- Kids with all their teeth (like my 2 y.o. and 4 y.o.) should be brushed BY AN ADULT both morning and night. Kids cannot do an adequate job (most adults don't brush their own teeth well) until they are much older. - Each tooth/area should be brushed 10 times each to actually get it clean (!!). That's a huge challenge with kids this age, but we're trying. Usually we start then give the kids a few minutes to brush themselves at the end. - Try to encourage the kids when you are brushing your own teeth - when they are young and flexible (e.g. between 18-30 mos.) is the easiest time to start making it a routine. - Finally, all kids should make their first trip to the dentist around 3-4, if not before. Not that there's anything likely to be wrong, but to get them used to going. All this made me feel like crap, because frankly I'm lucky to remember to brush the kids twice a day, but it's professional advice. |
Anonymous
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I'm a SAHM so I'm not sure if it applies to those who have to rush off to daycare, but I DO have to take my older child to preschool so we're all ready and out the door. I am diligent about my preschooler, but admit sometimes I am lax with my almost 2 year old. She has so few teeth too, which I think is a false sense of security.
One thing that helps for me (and my preschooler) is I keep a second set of toothpaste and toothbrush in the bathroom downstairs (which is really a powder room -- Jesus how do you spell that?). So if we're in a rush I don't have to drag everyone upstairs and we can do it much quicker. Perhaps an idea for you all, as it's helped me with the time aspect and making sure I get it done. |
Anonymous
PP here who brushes my 8mo old's teeth. We keep a toothbrush for her in our toothbrush holder in the master bath. I also keep one downstairs with her bottles, bowls, spoons. Dinner routine is eat, wipe off face and hands, then brush teeth right away. |