National Children’s Dental Health Month
February is a special month because we celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month. Dental professionals nationwide take this month to bring awareness for the importance of children’s oral health. Unfortunately dental decay (or cavities) is four times more common in children than childhood asthma and three times more likely than childhood obesity according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. As a dental hygienist, I love to encourage my patients to take some time to sit down with their children and go over the importance of keeping our teeth happy and healthy.
Baby Teeth
Primary teeth or baby teeth start coming in at about 6 months, they continue to come in until the age of two and a half to three years of age. One of the most common misconceptions we get is that baby teeth will fall out, so they do not need much attention. Although it is a fact that the baby's teeth will fall out eventually, we do have to remember why they are there. Baby teeth are important for our children because they help with their growth and development. They not only hold the spaces for adult teeth but they are essential for your child to be able to smile, eat, and talk. If a child has a cavity in one of their baby teeth, they can be at risk of pain and infection which in turn can affect the way they speak and eat if not taken care of. Children with pain that comes from a cavity may have a hard time concentrating in school and it is more likely to affect their attendance. It is also important to be aware that cavity-causing germs can be passed on from a mother to a baby in the form of kissing and sharing utensils. Let’s make sure we are aware of all of this and start taking care of our children’s teeth.
Brushing/Flossing
The most important thing is to teach our children starting at a young age is how to brush properly. We want to make sure they are brushing at least two times a day for two minutes each time, once in the morning and once before bedtime. It is important to keep track of the 2 minutes in some way. The easiest is to either set up a timer on your phone for them or use a sand timer that you can find at a dollar store. One of my favorite things is playing a song as they are brushing. Usually, songs last about 2 minutes so you can make it a fun activity for your children to pick a song and have them brush the entire time the song is playing.
There are so many toothbrushes in the market, so picking the right one can be challenging sometimes. A good way to pick a toothbrush size is to look at the toothbrush head and see if it fits comfortably in your child’s mouth. You also want something they can comfortably hold with their hand. Children should be doing small circular motions when brushing so make sure the toothbrush isn’t too big for them to brush comfortably. Electronic or battery-powered toothbrushes are also a great option for kids and they come in a variety of kid-friendly designs.
For toothpaste, we recommend using a smear of fluoridated toothpaste until the age of three. After three years of age, you can use a pea-sized amount. Fluoride is important to help with the prevention of cavities so incorporating a fluoride mouthwash after the age of 6 is recommended. For mouthwash, make sure you are supervising your child and making sure they are spitting it out and not swallowing the rinse.
Once your child has teeth that touch together (usually at age 3) you can start introducing flossing. I like the floss sticks for the younger kids. Once they start getting their adult teeth (age 6-7) you can have them use regular string floss. Remember to have them use the C-shaped technique which is where they hug each tooth like a letter C as they go up and down the tooth. It is important to floss at least once a day and I always recommend doing it right before bedtime to make sure you are getting all the plaque and food out before they go to bed. Please make sure you are also supervising your child with the flossing.
Having a calendar to track their brushing every morning and night is a fun way to motivate them to brush. You can either have them color it in each day or they can get a sticker for each time they brush. There are so many great calendars out there but the ones from mouthhealthy.org are my favorite.
Dental Visit
It is recommended to visit your dentist every 6 months for regular checkups and cleanings. It’s never too early to take your child in. We start seeing children as early as age one. This helps us detect any early signs of cavities and helps get your child comfortable around dental personnel and equipment. It’s also never too late to start seeing a dentist. It does not matter how old your child is, if they have not had their first dental visit make sure to schedule it this month as we celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month.
If you still do not have a dental home, the UNLV School of Dental Medicine has different clinics for all ages, and we would love to have you visit us. Visit us at unlv.edu/dental or call 702-774-2400 to schedule an appointment.
YouTube videos that I like:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txyy_p3ibeY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDZXSMU2lAk
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxMrtK-kYnE
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEIZWBDaxCU
Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/childrens-oral-health/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Foralhealth%2Fchildren_adults%2Fchild.htm
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Frequently Asked Questions. http://www.mychildrensteeth.org/education/faq/
- American Dental Association ADA, https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids
Melissa Argueta RDH, BSDH
Public Health Endorsed Dental Hygienist
UNLV School of Dental Medicine
