11 Secrets For Raising Cavity Free Children!

If you have kids, you know that introducing them to new things can be fun, challenging, exciting, frustrating, and so much more all at the same time!

Heck, I can still remember when my little cousin, Samantha, got her first cavity. It was like a tornado hit the household. There were tears, upset, throwing of dolls, and then 2 minutes later she was on to something new. Watching a cartoon, or playing with Barbie.

While, Samantha is growing up learning that she doesn’t want cavities, and she gets rewarded if she comes to the dentist office and leaves with an A+ on her dental report card, it definitely was not that way when I was a kid.

Back when I was a kid, a lot of my friends grew up almost expecting to have cavities when they went to the dentist. Having the doctor pry, poke, and drill for an hour or so was normal. Boy, I was lucky to have never had a cavity until I was a teenager!

However, that is not the case anymore! Times have changed!

Today, in our society, there are a couple of benefits our children have, that we didn’t have when we were younger. For example, one of the great benefits is that kids today are growing up with fluoride in the water. People are becoming more aware of hygiene; parents are becoming more aware that they need to bring their kids to the dentist. Especially before they’re in pain.

I made this simple report to give you a couple quick, helpful tips that you can use to help your child grow up with healthy teeth, and prevent as many dental problems as possible.

When is the earliest a parent should start bringing their child to the dentist?

Most dental books say when your child beginning to have teeth, but that usually doesn’t work out so well. Try to get a 1- 2 year old to listen to you, yeah right! What I usually do is, say to the parents who come to me is “When the kid’s three year’s old, bring them in with you. I’ll sit them in the chair, ride them up and down and see how much we can do. If they let us look in their mouth and count their teeth, we will! If they let us polish their teeth, we will!”

A lot of times we just put them in the chair, shine the light and show them everything and then they go home and they come back with you again in six months when you need your cleaning and we do a little bit more. So that way when they leave it’s not a negative thing, but they think, “Hey, this doctor’s pretty cool”.

So they go home and it was fine and they come back again and they’re familiar with it and they actually enjoy going. My philosophy is, teach the kids to enjoy being at the dentist, then if they need something done, I can refer them to a pediatric dentist. But if I could look in their mouth, and if they’re three there’s really not going to be much going on in there, but if I can look in their mouth and see there’s nothing major , well then just come back in six months, you know we’ll give them their toothbrush and when they leave they’ll get a toy and then everything is fun.

Parents seem to like that, because when they do come back , then they grow up not being afraid of the dentist. Whereas if I force them to do something the first time, well they’re not going to want to come back. And I can’t blame them.

Here are those 11 Secrets that I had promised you!

1. Begin cleaning your baby’s mouth with a clean guaze pad the first week the child is brought home from the hospital. Although most babies don’t have any teeth until about six months of age, a daily cleaning in infancy will get your child accustomed to the process, and ensure clean and healthy gums when the teeth do come in.
2. By starting early, your baby is more likely to accept your cleaning her/his teeth later, when it is necessary to prevent tooth decay. Incorporate a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste into the routine by the time your child reaches 18 months, or at the time his/her first molars come in.
3. Your child’s first visit to the dentist should be by the age of 3. Although baby teeth will eventually fall out, they are very important to your child’s dental development. That is because the muscles of his/her mouth and jaw form around the foundation laid by his/her first set of teeth. The dentist can make sure your child’s dental development is proceeding normally with checkups every six months thereafter.
4. Stop your child’s thumb sucking habits before his permanent teeth come in or by the age of six. Sucking on a thumb or pacifier is a natural and satisfying behavior for babies. However, the habit can alter the position of baby’s developing teeth and the dental arches if it continues after his permanent teeth begin to erupt. Fortunately, the damage is usually self-correcting, unless your youngster continues the habit much past the age of 4. If you are having trouble getting your child to stop sucking his/her thumb, please stop by and borrow one of my books on this subject.
5. Make sure your child gets the benefits of the latest in cavity prevention, including fluorides and sealants. Fluoride supplements are generally prescribed if you have well water or have a child that drinks a lot of soda.
6. Have your dentist apply a sealant to protect the biting surfaces of the molars. These are generally applied when the six-year molars come in. Sealants are nearly 100 percent effective in preventing cavities on the biting surfaces of molars, the most cavity-prone area of the mouth. They are approximately one-half the cost of a filling and a lot of insurances pay for them.
7. Do not give your child a bottle at night with juice or milk! If your child must have a bottle at bedtime, use water or a pacifier.
8. If your child uses a pacifier, don’t dip it in any sweetener. Some dentists have taught this in the past and it is not a good idea!
9. If you live in a community where there is NO fluoride in the drinking water, ask your pediatrician or our office about fluoride supplements as early as 6 months of age. Often, if your child needs a multi-vitamin anyway, one can be prescribed that includes fluoride as well.
10. You need to help a child under age 6 years old do the brushing. Studies show that children under 6 do not have the dexterity to do a good job. One great strategy if you have a child who likes to do everything on their own, is to let them do it first on their won. Then say that it’s mommy or daddy’s turn. I know that there are children who will fight you on brushing. No easy answer on how to do it.
11. Finally, the most important thing to realize is that children learn the behavior they observe. So, the reality is your dental health is just as important as your child’s. When was the last time you had your dental check up and cleaning?

I hope this report has been very educational and helpful. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment for you and your family, please call Della at (330) 666-7440.

A Special Invitation!

I’ll be happy to answer your questions- or have you come in and give you a FREE 10 Point Perfect Smile Examination and Recommended Action Plan- without obligation of any kind. To reach me, call Della at 330-666-7440.

Why am I Giving away this $30 valued service for free? I am so confident that once you experience our quick, easy, anxiety free, dentisty you will select our office for your dental needs.

By selecting our office for your dental needs, what have you got to lose?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Unless you choose to ignore this letter and you are one of the 4 out of 5 people that have gum disease, then chances are…… YOUR TEETH!

If you like our service (like over 2500 of your neighbors already do) then I want to provide you with high quality, affordable dental care for years to come. Did I mention we take a lot of insurance plans? No one else in the area accepts assignment like we do. If you don’t like us, then let us know and we will send your digital x-rays to any dentist you choose. I am confident that if any other dentist used the same high technology I use, attends the same advanced education courses, and accepts most area insurances, then he/she will agree with our recommended treatment!

Thanks very much for reading this report. I hope you found this to be helpful. If you have questions or comments- or if you’d like to schedule a Free 10 point perfect smile examination which is usually $30, but for our new patient drive it’s FREE, please call Della right now and set up your appointment at 330-666-7440.

Sincerely,

Stephanie L Aldrich, DDS

P.S. Time is running out! The FREE perfect smile examination offer is for a limited time only!!!! This offer expires in 30 days so call immediately to reserve your spot, Della at 330-666-7440.

30 May 2008