There are three main things that can be done by parents to ensure that you are taking good care of your baby’s teeth, good tooth brushing, diet control & visiting the dentist regularly.
Tooth Brushing
Tooth brushing techniques have been discussed in detail in the post ‘Cleaning Your Baby’s Teeth’, and although good brushing is essential tooth problems can still arise if diet is not addressed.
Diet
When baby’s start to eat solid food (even if it is still reasonably soft), it is important that a parent is aware of foods which can damage teeth. Foods which are high in sugar, particularly refined sugars – sucrose and glucose (including hidden sugars), and those which are acidic are the foods for parents to watch out for.
Sugary foods can lead to dental cavities; this is because sugar can be turned into acid by bacteria in the mouth which will in turn begin a process known as demineralisation where tooth enamel is attacked by the acid. Acidic foods can lead to cavities and tooth erosion.
It is very important that the frequency of food intake is carefully monitored. It takes between 20 minutes and two hours after eating for saliva to neutralise acids in the mouth (known as the buffer action), therefore if snacks are eaten frequently saliva cannot neutralise these acids and so there is no natural defence able to take place to protect the teeth from cavity formation. Of course sweet snacks do not have to be completely ruled out of a baby’s diet, but they’re best eaten at meal times so that the frequency of sugar and acid intake is reduced.
Parents should pay careful attention to the carbohydrate content of foods which will be fed to their baby, obvious foods to avoid include;
- Chocolate
- Fromage frais
- Ice cream
- Syrups
- Canned fruit
- Soft drinks
- Sugar used to sweeten food and drinks
Parents must also look out for hidden sugars which are found in many things including;
- Medicines
- Sauces e.g. tomato ketchup
- Soup
Even squashes and soft drinks which claim to be low in sugar must be avoided except at meal times as they are high in acid – this includes all fruit juices. NEVER dip a baby’s dummy in squash or fruit juice this can seriously damage their teeth. If dummies must be dipped in anything then milk and water are best, these are also the best drinks to give to babies in a bottle.
If you need more advice about foods which will not harm your baby’s teeth visit your dentist and they will provide the information you need.
Visiting the Dentist
Babies should begin visiting the dentist from about 2 ½ years old. At this age a dentist will not force the child to do anything that they don’t feel comfortable with but it is a good way to get young children used to the dental environment, smells, sounds etc, and if they are co-operative they will get a ride on the chair even if it is on Mom or Dads lap, and they’ll be given a sticker (which will usually be screwed up into a ball within seconds) for good behaviour, plus they will be on the dentists register from a young age and if they attend regularly will not have trouble finding a dentist when they’re older.
