Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Tooth Decay Prevention
Tooth decay causes toothaches, lost teeth, malocclusion
(poor bite), and costly visits to the dentist. Fortunately,
modern dentistry can prevent 80% to 90% of tooth decay.
FLUORIDE
Fluoride builds strong, decay-resistant enamel and reduces
cavities by 70%. Children 6 months to 16 years old need
fluoride (1995 American Dental Association recommendation).
Drinking fluoridated water (containing 0.7 to 1.2 parts
fluoride per million) or taking a prescription fluoride
supplement is the best protection against tooth decay.
To get enough fluoride from drinking water, a child must
drink at least 1 pint of fluoridated water each day. By
school age a child preferably drinks 1 quart of fluoridated
water per day.
If fluoride isn't added to your city's water supply or you
are breast-feeding, ask your physician for a prescription
for fluoride drops or tablets during your next routine
visit. The dosage of fluoride is 0.25 mg per day for
children up to 3 years old; 0.5 mg per day for children 3 to
6 years old; and 1.0 mg for children over age 6. Mixing
fluoride with milk reduces absorption of the fluoride to
70%. For this reason you should give fluoride to your child
when he or she has an empty stomach.
Bottled water usually doesn't contain enough fluoride. Call
the bottled water producer for information. If your child
drinks bottled water containing 0.6 or less parts fluoride per
million, ask your physician for a fluoride supplement.
Fluoride is safe. Over half of all Americans drink
fluoridated water. Fluoride has been added to water
supplies for over 50 years. Consumer's Report (July/August
1978) states: "The simple truth is that there is no
scientific controversy over the safety of fluoridation. The
practice is safe, economical, and beneficial. The survival
of any controversy is one of the major triumphs of quackery
over science in our generation."
One concern about fluoride is white spots or mottling on the
teeth (called fluorosis). This can occur when a child
ingests 2 mg or more fluoride per day. The preventative
dose is 1 mg or less. Children may ingest too much fluoride
if they receive fluoride supplements when fluoride is
already present in the city water supply. Occasionally they
ingest fluoride by eating their toothpaste. A ribbon of
toothpaste contains about 1 mg of fluoride. Therefore,
people of all ages should use only a drop of toothpaste the
size of a pea. This precaution, and encouraging your child
not to swallow most of the toothpaste, will prevent
fluorosis.
TOOTHBRUSHING AND FLOSSING
The purpose of toothbrushing is to remove plaque from the
teeth. Plaque is the invisible scum that forms on the
surface of teeth. Within this plaque, mouth bacteria change
sugars to acids, which in turn etches the tooth enamel.
Toothbrushing should begin before a child is 1 year old.
Help your child brush at least until after the age of
6 years. Most children don't have the coordination or
strength to brush their own teeth adequately before then.
If your child is negative about tooth-brushing, have him
brush your teeth first before you brush his.
Try to brush after each meal, but especially after the last
meal or snack of the day. To prevent mouth bacteria from
changing food caught in the teeth into acid, brush the teeth
within the first 5 to 10 minutes after meals. If your child
is in a setting where he can't brush his teeth, teach him to
rinse his mouth with water after meals instead.
Brush the molars (back teeth) carefully. Decay usually
starts in the pits and crevices in these teeth. Dental
floss is very useful for cleaning between the teeth where a
brush can't reach. This should begin when your child's
molars start to touch. In the early years, most of the
teeth have spaces between them.
A fluoride toothpaste is beneficial. People of all ages
tend to use too much toothpaste; an amount the size of a pea
is all that you need.
DIET
A healthy diet from a dental standpoint is one that keeps
the sugar concentration in the mouth at a low level. The
worst foods contain sugar and also stick to the teeth.
If your child is a baby, prevent baby-bottle cavities by not
letting your infant sleep with a bottle of milk or juice.
After the first teeth appear give your baby a bottle of
water if your child must have a bottle at night. It is
better to put your child to bed after he or she is finished
with the bottle.
Discourage your child from eating foods such as hard candy
or sticky sweets (for example, caramels or raisins). When a
child eats these foods his or her teeth are in contact with
sugar for a long time. Since no one can keep children away
from candy completely, try to teach your child to brush
after eating it. Avoid frequent snacks and offer foods that
contain sugar with meals only.
Parents worry needlessly about soft drinks. The sugar in
these products does not bind to the teeth and leaves the
mouth rather quickly.
DENTAL SEALANTS
The latest breakthrough in dental research is dental sealing
of the pits and fissures of the biting surfaces of the
molars. Fluoride does little to prevent decay on these
surfaces. A special plastic seal can be applied to the top
surfaces of the permanent molars at about age 6. The seal
may protect against decay for 10 to 20 years without needing
replacement. Ask your child's dentist about the latest
recommendations.
DENTIST VISITS
The American Dental Association recommends that dental
checkups begin at the age of 3 years (sooner for dental
symptoms or teeth that look abnormal).
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