This post is part of a “Wish List” series in which I ask experts in different kid-related fields—medicine, education, etc.—what they really want parents to know and do better. Interested in hearing from a certain type of expert? Please make a suggestion here.
THE PEDIATRIC DENTISTS
This week, I consulted the pediatric dental team at Chestnut Dental Associates in Needham, MA about what they wish parents knew about taking care of kids’ teeth. At home, Dr. Keri Peterman, Dr. Jon Shusterman, Dr. Anne Hertzberg, Dr. Crissy Beard, Dr. Amy Regen, and Dr. Shelley McBride have eight children (ranging in age from 1 to 12) between them. Thanks, guys!
1. Young children might cry when you’re brushing or flossing their teeth. Don’t take that as license to rush the job. Lots of kids cry when their diapers are getting changed, too, but you aren’t likely to leave that task half-done as a result. Remember, you’re not hurting them; you’re helping them.
2. Children will need a hand with brushing well into grade school. Reaching the back teeth and the inside gum line properly requires a level of manual dexterity that a lot of kids simply don’t have. Monitor older children’s brushing and step in often to help them reach the tricky spots.
3. Cavities aren’t always just the result of lazy dental care at home. Some 60 percent of children have a cavity by age 5, making dental decay the most common chronic disease of childhood. A lot factors go in to the development of cavities (including genetics and water quality), so even model brushers need to keep regular appointments to see a pediatric dentist, who can help determine a child’s risk factors for cavities and help with their management.
4. Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride is an inorganic ion of fluorine which is in our periodic table of elements; it exists all over the earth. When used in moderation—recommended amounts when brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste, periodic dental treatments, fluoridated water— it’s very safe and effective at reducing the risk of tooth decay. Be sure to talk to your pediatric dentist to make sure you’re child is getting the right amounts.
5. A child is exposed to less radiation in today’s dental x-rays than in a cross country flight. Dental x-rays have changed over time, and digital technology reduces radiation exposure by 40-60%. When taken at appropriate time intervals they are essential to diagnosing and treating dental disease.
6. Sugar is everywhere. Yogurt, raisins, packaged snacks, and juice—even “organic” and “all-natural” kinds—are all very high in sugar. The best way to reduce overall sugar consumption is to limit snacks and cut out juice entirely between meals. The AAP recommends no more than 4-6 ounces of juice per day with meals, which reduces the possibility that a child will sip juice over a long period of time. When it comes to dental health, reducing the frequency your kids’ teeth are exposed to sugar is key.
