Pediatric Dental Health: At-Home and Office Measures

Ensuring a child has a healthy smile for life is a team effort between parents at home and the dental team at the office. Combining consistent daily habits with professional preventive care provides the ultimate protection against common dental problems like cavities.

The Parent's Role: At-Home Care

The foundation of good oral health is built at home. Parents are responsible for establishing and supervising a healthy daily routine.

• Early Start: Begin cleaning your baby's gums with a soft, damp cloth even before the first tooth appears. Once the first tooth erupts, start brushing with a soft, infant-sized toothbrush and a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice).
• Supervised Brushing: Brush your child's teeth twice a day for two minutes. Children do not have the manual dexterity to brush effectively on their own until around age 7 or 8, so you should do the brushing or supervise closely.
• Healthy Diet: Limit sugary snacks and drinks. Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause cavities. Offer water instead of juice, and provide healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and cheese.
• Positive Attitude: Talk about dental health and visits to the dentist in a positive, normal way. Your attitude will shape your child's perception.

The Dentist's Role: In-Office Care

Professional dental care complements good home care by providing services and expertise that can't be replicated at home.

• Regular Check-ups and Cleanings: We recommend a child's first visit by age 1. Regular six-month check-ups allow us to monitor your child's dental development, professionally clean their teeth to remove tartar, and identify any issues early.
• Preventive Treatments: We provide key preventive services like professional fluoride applications to strengthen enamel and fissure sealants to protect chewing surfaces from decay.
• Education: We educate both parents and children on proper brushing and flossing techniques and provide personalized advice based on the child's specific risk factors.
• Early Orthodontic Assessment: We can identify potential issues with bite or crowding early on, which can make future orthodontic treatment simpler and more effective.

Learn more about our approach in our article on a fun dentistry experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When should my child switch from a 'smear' to a 'pea-sized' amount of toothpaste?
A: Children can switch to a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste around age 3, when they are able to reliably spit out the excess toothpaste after brushing.

Q: My child hates brushing their teeth. What can I do?
A: Make it fun! Let them pick their own toothbrush, use a fun-flavored toothpaste, play a two-minute song, or use a reward chart. Brushing together as a family also helps make it a normal part of the daily routine.