Infant Dental Care

By the time your child reaches the age of three years, the basic routine of tooth care should be well established. Morning and evening toothbrushing sessions need to be carefully supervised by an adult, even though a child of this age will probably be eager to carry out brushing herself. Six-monthly visits to the dentist, to check that the teeth are coming through normally, are also important. These "tooth-counting" sessions are also a good way of letting your child get used to visits to the dentist.

Most people are now aware of the damage caused to teeth by sugar in the diet. Sugary foods produce acids in the mouth that damage the enamel coating of the teeth by removing calcium. Once this has occurred, the tooth is vulnerable to decay and cavities will start to form. While fillings can repair cavities, the tooth is weakened and, if severely affected by decay, may need to be removed. This could endanger the positioning of second teeth.

Preventing Cavities

A baby eats only those foods offered by parents and caregivers. As she gets older and gains independence, she will begin to express her own food preferences more vigorously and will have increasing opportunities for choosing foods for herself - and sweet foods are often favorites. For this reason good eating habits cannot be started too soon. Above all, try to control your child's intake of sweets. No child needs sugar or candy and you can easily find less damaging treats in the form of fruit and healthy snacks. Explain to your friends and family that you would prefer that they did not give candy or cake to your child.

In the real world, of course, children do receive and eat a certain amount of sugary food. You can limit the damage these do to your child's teeth by incorporating them into mealtimes. Sugary snacks eaten between meals are the most damaging. If your child has eaten something particularly sweet, make sure she brushes her teeth as soon afterward as possible.

Drinking substantial amounts of fruit juice is another common cause of tooth decay, even among children who eat very little candy, so go easy on juices. Eating, or drinking anything other than water, at night after the teeth have been brushed, can cause problems. The acids that cause tooth decay will remain in the mouth, allowing the enameldamaging process to continue for many hours. If your child is greatly attached to having a bottle at night, give it to her before she goes to sleep, then remove it so she can't drink any more.

First Fillings

If you are lucky, your child will need little or no dental treatment throughout childhood. Your dentist will notice any signs of decay at your regular six-monthly visits, but you should make an extra appointment if you notice any unusual tooth discoloration or if your child complains of pain.

A dentist who is used to treating children will usually have developed techniques for minimizing fear. Great care will be taken to prevent pain with the use of local anesthetic sprays and injections as appropriate.

Accidents Involving Teeth

The need for dental treatment other than for cavities in the underfives is rare. An injury to a tooth that damages the nerve can cause it to "die" even if it isn't dislodged. In this case the tooth will become discolored but no other ill effects will follow and it can be safely left in place until it is replaced by the adult tooth. If a tooth is chipped, you should seek the advice of your dentist. If a baby tooth is knocked out altogether, you will need immediate dental advice; take your child to the nearest emergency room, bringing the tooth with you in a container of milk. In some cases the tooth can be replaced in the jaw, depending on the child's age and the position of the tooth.