Parents Are Key To Babies' Healthy Smiles

Child Dental Care and Parents

Parents are the key to good oral health for their children - even before the first baby teeth develop, Medical College of Georgia dentists say.

Dr. Steven Adair, an MCG pediatric dentist, says mothers should start ensuring their child's megawatt smile keeping their own mouths and teeth in good shape before and during pregnancy.

"The bacteria that cause cavities are generally passed from mother to child shortly after the child is born," says Dr. Adair. "If the mother takes care of her teeth by getting cavities filled and brushing on a regular basis, she can reduce the bacterial counts in her mouth and that may result in fewer bacteria being passed on to her baby."

Some research suggests that gum disease in the mother may even be a risk factor for premature and low birth-weight babies, he says.

Even though they don't have teeth, oral hygiene for infants should begin with their first meal.

"I advise parents to start oral cleanings after feedings in infancy with something like a soft washcloth or gauze wrapped around their finger to wipe the milk or formula out of the baby's mouth," Dr. Adair says. "It gets the baby used to the feeling of having his or her mouth cleaned after eating."

Children should never be put to bed with a bottle, unless it's filled with water.

"Babies who are put to bed with bottles that have juice, milk, formula, soft drinks, sweet tea and the like can begin to develop cavities at an early age," he says. "Even milk has sugars in it and it helps bacteria grow. When the baby falls asleep, the milk or juice also can pool around the upper front teeth and cause cavities very quickly. Sometimes those cavities can't be fixed and the children end up having to get the teeth taken out around age 3."

Pacifiers are fine for fussy babies " as long as the habit doesn't stick. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends eliminating pacifiers by baby's first birthday if possible or at least by age 3.

"Pacifiers and finger- and thumb-sucking habits can alter the bite and make the front teeth stick out farther," Dr. Adair says. "If those habits are stopped at an early age, some of those changes, but not all of them, will spontaneously improve. My recommendation is that if your baby needs something to help settle him down, use a pacifier. It's an easier habit to discontinue. You can't take fingers and thumbs away."

As babies develop teeth, parents should develop a new set of oral hygiene rules.

A golden rule for parents of toddlers, Dr. Adair says, is no "portable" foods. Avoiding the ever-present bag of cereal, limiting sugary snacks and restricting the use of a sippy cup to meal times can help a child's first pearly whites stay that way.

Cleaning them is important, too.

"It's not necessary to begin using a toothbrush and toothpaste when the first tooth comes in," Dr. Adair says. "But after the baby develops a number of teeth, the parents may want to buy some sort of tooth-cleaning device, which can be found in baby stores."

But steer clear of fluoride toothpastes before age 2, unless a dentist recommends otherwise, he says. Factors including parental history and environmental conditions affect the timing of introducing fluoride.

The most important thing to do, Dr. Adair says, is establish a dental home for a child early in life. The AAPD and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies have their first dental evaluation by age 1.

"That's a lot earlier than a lot of parents are thinking it should happen," Dr. Adair says. "They should establish a dental home " a clinic or office where comprehensive care is provided, referrals are made and emergency care can be provided - so that they are not using the hospital emergency room for their child's dental care."