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Show No cavities in next generation It seems everywhere you look these days there are once again young families with babies and young children. While Dr. Spock was the final say-so for previous generations, this new young parent generation has at its disposal so much in the way of new technology that the previous generation genera-tion did not. For example, in the field of pediatric dentistry, we now know that it's possible possi-ble to have a generation totally cavity-free. cavity-free. You child's teeth can last a lifetime with no cavities due to advances ad-vances in chemistry and early care, according to the American Academy of Pedodontics, the professional organization of pediatric dentists. The most dramatic aspect of children's dentistry is the finding that a clean tooth will simply not decay, according ac-cording to Dr. Robert Musselman, the president of the Academy. Most parents, according to Musselman, don't feel entirely comfortable comfor-table in going into their child's mouth. This is a mistake, since taking care of the very first tooth is the parent's responsibility. While the child is cradled cradl-ed in the lap, the parent should wipe the first teeth with a gauze-wrapped finger. It accustoms the parent and the child in what will become a ritual of cleaning. A child should be taken to a pediatric dentist before the age of three. The dentist will determine the growth pattern pat-tern of the child and make recommendations recommen-dations on nutrition, snacking, and cleaning. The dentist may also at that time observe the child's habits, such as thumb-sucking, lip biting and tongue posture that will guide him in future behavior modification, which is called interceptive orthodontics and can save thousands of dollars in possible possi-ble future corrections. Floride is the foremost factor in this future cavity-free generation. If you're not in a floridated water community, your pediatric dentist will give your child a floride treatment and regimen. This can consist of a floride treatment at the dentist's office, with prescribed prescrib-ed flouride tablets, to be supplemented later with floride mouthrinse when the child is five or six years old. Pediatric dentists are trained especially to make a child comfortable and without fear. They don't usually wear white coats, and their offices are designed for children's interests. When they counsel a parent, it is to tell her that the child will need supervision in teeth-cleaning until the child is older; that it doesn't so much matter what foods are eaten, as long as the child cleans his teeth thoroughly at least once a day; that it's important to cut down on the number of snacks per day candy once a day after a meal is not nearly as bad as potato chips, crackers, raisins or fruit, eaten a number of times per day. A mother will also learn in a pediatric dentist's office that her second se-cond child may well benefit from recent re-cent findings concerning the type of nipple a child should have if bottle-fed. There are nipples and pacifiers that are shaped like a mother's breast, which make the infant use his jaw muscles as he would have breastfeeding, breast-feeding, and this is to be preferred. A nursing child is never to be put to bed with a bottle of milk, juice or any other liquid except water. This can result in "nursing bottle syndrome," in which a child of 18 months can have a mouthful of cavities because sugar in the liquid bathed the teeth over an extended ex-tended period. |
