Childhood The Time To Instill Good Dental Habits

By Nancy K. Crevier

In a press statement released this month recognizing February as National Children’s Dental Health Month, as proclaimed by the American Dental Association, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is encouraging parents and guardians to become knowledgeable about proper oral health care.

“Good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations are essential to your child’s oral health. Getting kids into the habit of visiting a dentist at an early age ingrains healthy habits that last a lifetime,” stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH.

Dr David Nowacki, whose practice is at 10 Queen Street in Newtown, agrees that early intervention is important. He suggests that children begin dental visits at age 2, and then every six months. The first visit should be very simple, with the child sitting in the parent’s lap and acclimating to the dental environment. “We don’t want to traumatize the child too much in the early visits,” said Dr Nowacki, who acknowledged that other pediatric dental specialists might recommend starting visits as soon as the child has a tooth.

Parents need to provide oral care even for infants and very small children, he said. A water-dampened finger toothbrush or a piece of gauze can be used to massage the gums. Once teeth start coming in, the parent can begin using a soft toothbrush, again with no toothpaste, and gently brush the new teeth.

“At all costs, avoid putting a child to bed with a bottle,” urged Dr Nowacki. Juice and milk left in prolonged contact with baby teeth are the worst offenders for causing long-term damage to tooth enamel and cavities, but even a bottle of water develops a bad habit, he said.

Older children can benefit from a low-fluoride toothpaste. In areas where fluoride is not found in the water, supplements may be suggested as the child is developing. “At age 8 or 9,” said Dr Nowacki, “children don’t need a systemic fluoride. Topical fluoride treatments are then applied in the dentist’s office.”

Fluoride is an effective cavity reducer, said Dr Nowacki, but dentists have been cutting back on systemic fluoride treatments in recent years, as it has been found that fluoride is being taken in from other sources. Produce washed in fluoridated water, and foods grown in fluoride rich soils are passing the mineral on to children in quantities sufficient to reduce the need to supplement through pills or water treatment, he said.

Even regular brushing and flossing will not prevent cavities if parents and children do not restrict the amounts of sugary foods that are consumed. According to the DPH release, a 2007 survey of Connecticut schoolchildren found that 31 percent of children in Head Start programs, aged 2 to 4 years, have already experienced tooth decay, and that 14 percent of those children had five or more teeth decayed or missing from decay. By kindergarten, more than one in four children have oral diseases.

It is the amount of time that sugar is in contact with the tooth that creates a cavity, said Dr Nowacki. Treats and other foods that take a long time to consume are the worst offenders. “Sticky, gummy items, like fruit roll-ups and lollipops, that remain in the mouth a long period of time, are most likely to cause problems,” he said. Soda and sports drinks — with sports drinks more offensive than soda — are very acidic to begin with, and are a catalyst to cavity formation. “Sipping on a soda or sports drink all day long is a larger insult to the tooth,” Dr Nowacki explained.

Children who are in very active sports can risk chipping or breaking a tooth, warned Dr Nowacki, and he recommended that athletic children be fitted with a good mouth guard. “Those kinds of accidents can result in lifelong problems,” he said.

Even with the most conscientious care, problems can arise. Parents should take seriously any child’s complaint of tooth pain or swollen gums, which can indicate an infection. Most dental offices can be contacted in case of an emergency, but to keep the child comfortable until a dentist can examine him or her, liquid ibuprofen for children should provide a modicum of relief, said Dr Nowacki.

Regular check-ups and good daily oral hygiene can promote oral health. For more information, contact the DPH Office of Oral Health at 860-509-7382, or visit ct.gov/dph/oralhealth.