February is dental health awareness month

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Dear Parent:

Today we visited your child’s school and presented a demonstration about oral health. Here are some points that may be helpful for you in taking care of your child’s teeth.

WHY BABY TEETH ARE IMPORTANT
Primary teeth are important in normal development – for chewing, speaking, and appearance. They also are important for holding space for the permanent teeth until they erupt. When baby teeth are not properly cared for, dental decay can result in pain, infection, costly dental care or damage to the underlying permanent teeth.

ORAL HYGIENE
It is important that you play a major role in your child’s tooth brushing until your child is about six, or has the dexterity to tie his/her own shoelaces. Until then, we recommend that you give your child the chance to brush alone, with you brushing afterwards, especially before bed. Proper brushing removes plaque from the inner, outer and chewing surfaces of the teeth. When brushing your child’s teeth, you may wish to stand behind him/her and use a finger to pull the lips away so that you can better view the teeth and brush around the gum line. You also should floss your child’s teeth a few times a week to remove plaque that may build up between teeth. We recommend using floss holders found in stores to make it easier to floss small mouths.

HEALTHY FOODS
Like the rest of the body, the teeth, bones, and soft tissues of the mouth benefit from a well- balanced diet. Children should eat a variety of foods from the five major food groups. Please limit sticky foods such as fruit snacks or gummy candies, since they remain on the teeth for many hours and can cause decay. Frequent snacking should be avoided, as constant exposure to sugar or starch in foods also can cause cavities. Children should drink mainly milk and water, with sweet juices given only on occasion.

FLUORIDE
Fluoride is vital for strong, decay-resistant teeth. The most effective way for children to receive fluoride is through fluoridated water. However, in most parts of New Jersey there is no fluoride in the drinking water, so many children receive fluoride supplements from their pediatrician or dentist. If your child takes fluoride supplements, please do not give them fluoridated bottled water. This could result in too much fluoride, which could damage the permanent teeth. It also is important that children receive topical fluoride applications from their dentist to prevent decay.

REGULAR DENTAL VISITS
Regular dental visits are critical to maintaining a healthy smile. During these visits, the dentist examines the child’s mouth for tooth decay, as well as growth and development conditions that could cause a problem in the future. In addition to regular cleanings and fluoride treatments, preventive measures such as sealants (a plastic covering protecting the teeth), can help to keep children cavity-free for life.

We hope the children enjoyed our presentation. For more information, please visit our website www.waynesmiles4kids.com for our Wayne office, and www.butlersmileskids.com for our Butler office.  If you have any questions about your child’s oral health or wish to make an appointment, please do not hesitate to give our office a call at 973-696-6002.

Thank you,

Frank Ferrara, DMD

Jacklyn Brown, DDS