Dental Care As Your Child Grows

As children grow up, the American Dental Association (ADA) advises parents to pay close attention to what kinds of products their children are eating and drinking. It's no secret that the nutrition we take in not only affects our general health, but our oral health as well. In addition, the American Dental Association warns that a diet high in sugar may very well be cause for significant damage not only to children's teeth,  but to adults teeth as well.  Sugar-coated teeth become a breeding ground for bacteria; which then produces acid.  It is this acid that eats away at  the enamel on our teeth.

In order to reduce the risks of childhood tooth decay, the ADA gives the following suggestion's:

Steps To Help Ensure Your Child's Bright Smile

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:

Your Child's Bright Smile: Precautions

"It's crucial for parents to make good dental health a central component of their children's lives," explains Robert Shechet, D.D.S., Director of Dental Programs for Health Net, Inc. "What many people don't realize," he adds, "is that youngsters who don't receive proper dental care can develop into adults with poor dental health. Poor dental health can lead to heart attacks, strokes, premature or low-weight babies, diabetes complications, and other serious medical issues."

"Good dental health also extends to protecting youngsters' teeth when they're playing sports, and even when they're engaged in recreational activities such as rollerblading or snowboarding," says Health Net's Shechet.