Grove's Blog
Posts for tag: Infant
It’s never too early to establish good dental health habits. Starting at birth, you can begin promoting good oral hygiene for your baby that will last a lifetime. Even before your baby sports his first tooth, you should wipe his gums clean each day with a soft, moist cloth. Including regular mouth cleanings as a part of the baby’s daily routine will also make it easier to transition into tooth brushing later on and help prevent future dental problems.
Tooth decay affects children in the U.S. more than any other chronic infectious disease. Decay or lost baby teeth can lead to problems with eating, speaking and issues with permanent teeth later in life. For this reason, the sooner you introduce good oral hygiene as a regular part of your baby’s routine the better.
Tooth Brushing and Little Mouths
As soon as your child’s first tooth erupts, usually between 6 and 12 months of age, you should begin brushing and cleaning the tooth regularly. After meals and before bedtime, gently wipe the first tooth with a damp cloth. You can also use a soft, child-sized toothbrush with water and fluoride-free toothpaste to clean the teeth and gums.
Once your child gets a little older and develops more teeth, allow your child to brush on his own with your supervision. This will help establish good brushing habits at a young age. Follow the child’s brushing with a more thorough cleaning of your own until the child is old enough to handle the task of brushing without your assistance.
By your child’s first birthday, schedule a visit to the dentist. This is a great time for your child to get to know the dentist and for parents to discuss how to care for their child’s mouth, appropriate use of fluoride, proper nutrition, milestones of dental development and other preventive care. Grove Dental has extremely gentle, experienced pediatric dentists on staff at all four office locations, dedicated exclusively to treating kids.
A baby’s teeth are at risk for tooth decay as soon as they erupt. Prolonged exposure of a child’s teeth to sugary liquids is a leading cause of decay.
Once a child reaches his or her first birthday they should know how to drink from a cup to reduce the damaging effects of tooth decay. The American Dental Association (ADA) offers the following tips for choosing a training cup.
- Avoid “no spill” cups. This type of training cup works the same as a baby bottle, requiring the child to suck on the valve rather than learning to sip from the cup.
- Choose training cups with a snap-on or screw-on lid and a spout.
- A cup with two handles and a round, weighted base that helps prevent spills is best for young children or those just learning to sip.
- A small plastic cup filled with only a small amount of liquid may also be used to help teach a child how to sip from a regular drinking cup.
What parents put into the cup is also important. Excessive consumption of sugary drinks, like formula, milk and juices promotes tooth decay. Offer your baby water between meals instead, and limit milk and juices to mealtimes when the mouth produces more saliva. Frequent sips of sugary drinks throughout the day increase the risk for decay.
To prevent injury, it is also important that toddlers just learning how to walk do not play or run around with a training cup. Falling while drinking from a cup may injure the child’s teeth or mouth.
A training cup should only be used temporarily until your child has learned how to sip from a cup. Combined with regular dental visits starting no later than your child’s first birthday, regular brushing and good nutrition, parents can promote good oral health habits that lead to a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Grove Dental provides specialized dental care for infants, toddlers and teens
Just as you would choose a pediatrician for the health needs of your child, you should also choose a pediatric dentist for the dental needs of your child. A pediatric dentist is specially qualified to identify and treat the dental needs and behaviors that are specific to children from infancy through the teenage years.
At Grove Dental we love kids. So much in fact, that we have an entire department dedicated to children. Our Specialists in Pediatric Dentistry have received advanced training and experience to provide the most gentle and thorough dental treatment for kids. We help children establish good dental habits that will last a lifetime, and just as important, show them that going to the dentist can be fun! Enjoyable visits to the dentist at an early age promote pleasant dental experiences into adulthood.
We Cater To Kids
From video games and head phones to pint-sized furniture and prizes, we make coming to the dentist an enjoyable and relaxing experience for your kids. The minute you walk through the door, you and your child will notice the Grove difference with our inviting and kid-friendly office. Our staff is specifically trained to put your child at ease.
Meet our Pediatric Team
We have Specialists in Pediatric Dentistry at all four office locations -- Wheaton, Downers Grove, Bolingbrook and Lombard.
- Bob C. Stone, DDS, MS
- Mark D. Cabana, DDS
- Mina H. Chung, DDS, MS
- Diana K. Lee, DDS
- Nicholas C. Woodward, DDS
You can learn more about each doctor here.
"When people ask me why I became a pediatric dentist, the answer is simple. I like to see children with a big, beautiful smile. I'll always do whatever I can to make your child's dental care gentle and as painless as possible. Because I know that a good experience here will help them maintain proper oral care throughout their life." -- Dr. Mark D. Cabana, DDS
When a baby is born, teeth are usually not visible; however, that doesn't mean that they aren't there. At birth, your baby's 20 primary teeth are developing in the jawbone, The first tooth generally breaks through the gum tissue between the fifth and eighth month of age. The teeth are another area of growth and development that parents need to be educated about in order to give their baby proper dental care. From your little one's first appointment through all of the phases of children's dentistry, Grove's pediatric specialists will be here to help with every stage of growth and development.
Dental Hygiene for Babies
Dental hygiene should start as soon as your baby is born in order to promote strong teeth and gums. Gently wipe your baby's gums each day with a clean, damp cloth, especially after feedings. Once the first tooth appears, use a small soft toothbrush to remove plaque. As your child gets older, a small amount of toothpaste with fluoride should be used daily for brushing to keep the enamel strong and resistant to cavities.
Feeding Habits that Lead to Dental Decay
A baby's teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they appear in the mouth. Parents should establish good nursing and feeding habits in order to prevent plaque from developing on their little one's teeth. One condition, baby bottle tooth decay, can destroy an infant's primary teeth and it affects both breast and bottle fed infants. In order to keep acids from attacking your baby's teeth, avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle of milk or juice- instead give them water. Also, avoid breast feeding for long periods of time and never dip your baby's pacifier in a sweet liquid.
As you begin introducing different foods into your child's diet, be cautious of foods high in sugars and avoid sticky, slowly-disolving foods like candy, cake, cookies and soda pop. Avoid snacking between meals to reduce the risk of plaque-build up and decay.
Your Baby's First Trip to the Dentist
At Grove, we suggest that you plan your child's first dental visit around the child's first birthday. During this initial visit, the Pediatric Dentist will answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding teething, brushing techniques, thumb sucking, healthy eating, etc.
Just as your child sees a pediatrician for medical care, it's equally as important that your child see a pediatric dental specialist to care for all of your child's oral health needs. At Grove Dental, our Pediatric Specialists and staff are dedicated to children's dentistry.
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Archive:
- 2012
- January (6)
- Leading Downers Grove Dentists at Grove Dental Offer Reliable Surgery Options
- Brushing Your Baby’s Teeth: How Soon is Too Soon?
- Grove Dental, Leading Downers Grove Dentist Office, Offers Tooth Extraction and Implants
- Happy New Year from Grove Dental
- Keeping Your Toothbrush Clean
- Whiter Teeth Start at Home
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- 2010
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