3. For Parents
First Visit
Ways To Brush More
Watch Your Child
Thumb Sucker
Pacifiers
Teething
Nutrition
4. For Parents
• Typically, the best time to take your child to
his/her first dental visit is usually by the age of
F 18 to 24 months
I
R • Be prepared...Tell your child what they should
S expect.
T • As a rule, the first visit for youngsters is
intended to be a "GETTING TO KNOW
V
I
YOU" session.
S • The dentist will try to instill confidence in the
I child with reassuring dialogue and a calm
T demeanor.
5. For Parents
W
A • By having multiple flavors of • At breakfast time, place their
Y toothpaste, one can allow the toothbrush near their eating
S child to pick the flavor of the utensils to remind them to
day. brush after the meal.
T • Allow them to watch you floss • Before bedtime, place their
and brush, even letting them toothbrush on their pillow to
O occasionally help to brush again remind them to brush
your teeth. before bedtime.
B • Acknowledge to them that • Lastly, take the child to the
R they are doing a wonderful dentist twice a year to
U job on their teeth by letting examine and encourage good
them know how fresh their dental health.
S breath is and how shiny their
H teeth look.
M
O
R
E
6. For Parents
W • watching for clenching or grinding habits in youngsters
A • avoiding excessive fluoride levels in children by having yourwater
T source checked. If there are acceptable levels, vitamin
C supplementation may not be needed.
H • Avoid giving children under the age of 8 years old the antibiotic
Tetracycline. Mothers should also avoid certain medications during
Y pregnancy.
O • Make sure children wear protective mouthguards when playing
sports.
U • Avoid giving children cavity-producing foods, i.e., junk foods.
R • Avoid allowing children to go to bed with baby bottles containing
milk or any other liquids that can cause decay, other than water.
C • Teach children good early oral hygiene habits.
H • Watch for delayed eruption patterns or crowding in the child's teeth.
I • Have the child visit the dentist twice a year for a dental
L examination, cleaning and fluoride treatment to avoid future dental
D problems.
7. For Parents
Thumb-sucking is a common
habit that occurs during
T childhood. Most children suck
H their thumb even before birth
U as is seen through sonograms
M taken of the child. Studies
suggest that this habit is a way
B
for the infant to relax, feel safe
and is comforting.
S
U
Although thumb-sucking is a
C
normal habit, serious teeth
K problems can occur if it
E continues after the teeth erupt.
R
8. For Parents
• The best time to intervene • Get a calendar and place it
when your child is between in a visible location. Place
T the ages of 4-6 years old.
• Have your dentist or a gold star sticker on any
H half or full day that the
pediatricians explain to
U your child, with photos, child does not thumb-suck.
M what problems can result This Should make the
B from thumb-sucking. child feel much more
motivated instead of
S negative comments, which
U may make the child feel
C worse.
K
E
R
9. For Parents
• if you notice your child beginning to
suck their fingers or thumbs, during the
first 3 months of life, you can introduce
your child to a pacifier
P
• to avoid any trauma to the gums, it's
A important to buy a pacifier with a nipple
C made of rubber
I • do not use the soother around the
F clock, only when necessary
I • in rare instances, pacifiers may cause
E complications, like abnormal swallowing
patterns
R
• check the pacifier daily for breakage.
They do not last forever. The child could
suck a "ripped" pacifier and choke on it
• do not hang the pacifier around your
baby's neck with a string. Your baby
could be accidentally strangled
10. For Parents
• to avoid improper breathing and
abnormal molding of the baby's jaws,
choose a soother that resembles the
P natural nipple and breast
A • Pacifier use can cause abnormal
C development of the jaws and teeth.
I
F Some reasons are:
I • improperly sized and shaped soother
E • strength of sucking action
R • ength of time the soother is present
within the mouth
11. For Parents
By age 6, the children begin to There are ways to help relieve
lose baby teeth, whereby some of the discomfort the
permanent adult teeth replace
them. This cutting of new teeth child may have. Some
T
often causes a great discomfort to include:
E
E the infants and children. There – rubbing the child's gum
T are various signs and symptoms with your clean finger
to watch for listed below: – allowing child to chew on
H
– drooling, excess saliva
I a teething ring
– blisters over the erupting tooth
N
– fever
– always maintain the
G child's full well-balanced
– infection
– sleep disturbance diet
13. For Parents
• Birth to 6 months old: the baby's • 6-12 months: Brush teeth after each
jaw and teeth are developing. Breast meal. Studies suggest that one can
milk or formula is supplement with fluoride at 6 months
N good.supplementing the baby with of age, if the drinking water has
fluoride is not recommended. fluoride levels less than 0.6ppm(parts
U • 6 months old: 2 to 4 teeth may be permillion). The pediatrician and
T present. Gauze and a soft toothbrush pediatric dentist will evaluate and
without toothpaste can be used to help determine the appropriate levels .
R clean the teeth. Parents must watch • 12-24 months: 20 teeth should be
I infant's feeding practices at this present. Good oral hygiene and
time, especially with long term use appropriate eating habits are needed.
T of bottle with liquids that can cause Cavity-causing snacks must be
cavities. It is a good habit to use avoided.
I only water bottles at nap or bedtime • 2-3 years old: All the baby teeth are
O to prevent baby bottle tooth decay. present. Child should be taught
to brush his or her own teeth. Flossing
N can be started with the aid of an adult.