In accordance with the U.S. Surgeon General, tooth decay is considered to be the most common, chronic childhood disease; taking into account the fact that more than 40% of American youngsters experience tooth decay before they are 5 years old. In order to avoid this outcome, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourages parents "to bring [their] offspring to a pediatric dentist by the time their baby's first tooth appears." In addition, the AAPD claims that the dental costs for children who have their first dental visit by the time the child is five years old, are nearly 40% less expenisve and evidently more effective than for those children who are older.
For parents of infants, the Academy makes the following recommendations:
- Clean your infant's mouth and gums regularly with a soft, infant toothbrush or a cloth and water;
- Make sure that children older than six months receive fluoride supplements if their drinking water doesn't contain enough fluoride. Fluoride supplementation in infants has been shown to reduce tooth decay by as much as 50 percent. Consult your pediatric dentist for further guidance;
- Wean babies from the bottle by 12 to 14 months of age;
- Brush baby teeth at least twice a day; use a child-sized toothbrush and a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste."
Source:
Health Net
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