Not Enough Kids Are Seeing The Dentist

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Not Enough Kids Are Seeing The Dentist
January 2008
WFTV.com

As a day care provider, Mary Williams knows a lot about kids. But there's one thing she didn't know: kids should see a dentist by their first birthday.

"Being a daycare provider and all the training to keep my license up, I still had no idea," said Mary.

Many parents don't. But a new report shows tooth decay in two to five year-olds is on the rise. Twenty-eight percent of toddlers have it.

"It is a problem. That's a high prevalence for little people to have cavities," said Dr. Robert Berkowitz.

Dr. Berkowitz says grazing is part of the problem. Damaging acids from sugary foods harm teeth for at least 20 minutes after eating them.

"Putting the child in the crib with a nursing bottle that has things like apple juice or Hawaiian Punch where they can suckle on the bottle all night is a real problem," he said.

He says start weaning kids off bottles and sippy cups by age one.

"And if a child really needs one, that the only thing that goes in there is water," said Dr. Berkowitz.

Another common bacteria source comes from you. Don't use your mouth to clean bottle tops or pacifiers.

Another tip, as soon as the first tooth comes in, clean your child's teeth twice a day with an American Dental Association-approved fluoride toothpaste. Use an amount about the size of a pea. And kids should not brush their own teeth until age six.

"Clean teeth don't decay," said Dr. Berkowitz.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends the use of fluoride, either in toothpaste or drinking water, to prevent tooth decay for every age group except infants. Fluoride exposure during infancy can cause dental fluorosis, or spotting on the teeth.