INFANT ORAL HEALTH CARE

‘A baby’s smile is a bit of sunlight wrapped in your arms’ and it is the job of pediatric dentists to protect this beautiful smile. It is imperative that care givers and parents work together with Pedodontists to ensure proper oral hygiene for the infant.

Here are a few tips to ensure your child’s oral hygiene:

1. Early visit to a pediatric dentist: The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry advises that every infant should receive an oral health risk assessment from his/her primary health care provider or qualified health care professional when the child’s first tooth erupts, around 6 months of age or latest by the child’s first birthday.

This initial assessment helps to

-Evaluate the patient’s risk of developing oral diseases of soft and hard

  tissues.

-Evaluate the risk of developing cavities

-Provide education on infant oral health

-Evaluate and optimize fluoride exposure

2.Establishment of a dental home: A dental home is the concept of an ongoing relationship between the parents and the dentist. This should be established by 12 months of age. The visits should include

-Thorough medical (infant) and dental (parent and infant) histories

 -Thorough oral examination

-Age-appropriate tooth brushing demonstration

 -Fluoride varnish treatment if indicated

-Advising for periodic re-evaluation

-Referrals to the appropriate health professionals if necessary.

3.Teething: Teething can lead to intermittent localized discomfort in the area of erupting primary teeth, irritability, and excessive salivation; however, many children have no apparent difficulties. Treatment of symptoms includes oral painkillers and chilled rings for the child to chew on.

4.Oral hygiene: Oral hygiene measures should be implemented even before the teeth erupt. A sterile cloth, dipped in clean water should be used to wipe the baby’s gums and tongue after every feed. Brushing should be initiated no later than the time of eruption of the first primary tooth. Cleaning the infant’s teeth as soon as they erupt with a soft toothbrush will help reduce bacterial colonization. Tooth-brushing should be performed for children by a parent twice daily, using a soft toothbrush of age-appropriate size. Flossing should be initiated when adjacent tooth surfaces cannot be cleansed with a toothbrush.

5.Diet: Human milk and breast-feeding of infants provide general health, nutritional, developmental, psychological, social, economic, and environmental advantages while significantly decreasing risk for a large number of acute and chronic diseases. Human breast milk is uniquely superior in providing the best possible nutrition to infants and has not been associated with caries. Frequent night time bottle feeding with milk is associated with early childhood caries. Night time bottle feeding with juice and frequent in between meal consumption of sugar-containing snacks or drinks (eg, juice, formula, soda) increase the risk of cavities.

6. Fluoride: Optimal exposure to fluoride is important to all infants and children. Decisions concerning the administration of fluoride are based on the unique needs of each patient. The use of fluoride for the prevention and control of caries is both safe and effective. Professionally-applied topical fluoride, such as fluoride varnish, should be considered for children at risk for cavities. Systemically-administered fluoride should be considered for all children at risk who drink fluoride deficient water

7. Injury prevention: Practitioners will provide age-appropriate injury prevention counseling for oro-facial trauma. Initially, discussions would include play objects, pacifiers, car seats, and electric cords, which will include aspects on both prevention and management.
The use of properly fitted mouth guards in other organized sporting activities that carry the risk of orofacial injury should be mandatory.

8.Nonnutritive habits: Nonnutritive oral habits (e.g, finger or pacifier sucking, bruxism, and abnormal tongue thrust) may apply forces to teeth and oral structures. It is important to discuss the need for early sucking and the need to wean infants from these habits before the teeth get mal-aligned.

ITS Dental Hospital, Greater Noida has an entire department dedicated to pediatric dentistry. Our Pedodontists are skilled and equipped to provide the best possible advice and treatment for your tiny tots!!