Parents' Corner
Expecting: How does your oral health affects your baby?
Babies may be all gummy smiles when they are born but their teeth were developing throughout your pregnancy. Your wellbeing and what you eat and drink during pregnancy has a direct impact on your baby’s smile. Your dental health can even affect your pregnancy. For example, mothers with periodontal disease are at higher risk for a premature delivery.
Nursing bottle syndrome
Whether they are drinking milk, juice, or formula, children who bottle-feed can develop cavities if they fall asleep with the nipple in their mouths. White or discoloured spots on their teeth are the first warning sign.
Brushing your child’s teeth
Give your children a head start on good oral hygiene by brushing their teeth even when they are young. At first you might find it easier to use a piece of clean cloth wrapped around your finger. As more teeth appear switch to a toothbrush designed for babies. These toothbrushes have soft, small heads which help prevent gum irritation. Gently massage the teeth and gums with the toothbrush. There are several toothpastes specifically designed for babies and children.
Save the date! Your child’s first dental appointment.
Did you know that the first dental visit for a child should be at the age of 2? At Concourse Dental Group we help your children develop a positive attitude about going to the dentist. Their first visit will likely not involve any treatment but will serve as an introduction to the world of dentistry. The focus is on getting acquainted, having fun, and starting our relationship off on a positive note. Depending on what we see in your child’s mouth, there is a small chance we might have to take low-dose X-rays.
Protecting your child’s smile with fluoride
Fluoride has long been proven effective in making teeth resistant to acid-producing bacteria. Children are much less likely to develop cavities if they have been given fluoride. To apply fluoride to your child’s teeth we either gently insert a fluoride tray in the mouth or paint it directly on their teeth. We might use a fluoride rinse if your child is old enough and knows to spit it out.
Healthy foods, healthy smiles
Proper nutrition is as critical to dental health as good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Limit your child’s intake of refined sugars such as those found in candy, soft drinks, and cookies. The natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables usually pass through the mouth quickly. Refined sugars, on the other hand, stick to teeth. The bacteria in plaque convert the sugar to an acid that damages enamel and causes cavities.
To prevent decay teach your child to brush after every meal. If this is not possible encourage your child to rinse his or her mouth after eating.
Seal it!
Pits are the deep grooves on the teeth’s chewing surfaces while fissures are channels that run down the sides of teeth. Pits and fissures trap the bacteria that cause tooth decay. To protect your child from tooth decay, we strongly suggest applying pit and fissure sealants on the first set of permanent molars soon after they emerge if the pits and grooves are especially deep.
Protect your young athlete
Does your child enjoy sports? We recommend a protective mouthguard to prevent traumatic injuries to your young athlete’s teeth. Talk to us today about an athletic mouthguard for your child – we make them right in our clinic!
Babies may be all gummy smiles when they are born but their teeth were developing throughout your pregnancy. Your wellbeing and what you eat and drink during pregnancy has a direct impact on your baby’s smile. Your dental health can even affect your pregnancy. For example, mothers with periodontal disease are at higher risk for a premature delivery.
Nursing bottle syndrome
Whether they are drinking milk, juice, or formula, children who bottle-feed can develop cavities if they fall asleep with the nipple in their mouths. White or discoloured spots on their teeth are the first warning sign.
Brushing your child’s teeth
Give your children a head start on good oral hygiene by brushing their teeth even when they are young. At first you might find it easier to use a piece of clean cloth wrapped around your finger. As more teeth appear switch to a toothbrush designed for babies. These toothbrushes have soft, small heads which help prevent gum irritation. Gently massage the teeth and gums with the toothbrush. There are several toothpastes specifically designed for babies and children.
Save the date! Your child’s first dental appointment.
Did you know that the first dental visit for a child should be at the age of 2? At Concourse Dental Group we help your children develop a positive attitude about going to the dentist. Their first visit will likely not involve any treatment but will serve as an introduction to the world of dentistry. The focus is on getting acquainted, having fun, and starting our relationship off on a positive note. Depending on what we see in your child’s mouth, there is a small chance we might have to take low-dose X-rays.
Protecting your child’s smile with fluoride
Fluoride has long been proven effective in making teeth resistant to acid-producing bacteria. Children are much less likely to develop cavities if they have been given fluoride. To apply fluoride to your child’s teeth we either gently insert a fluoride tray in the mouth or paint it directly on their teeth. We might use a fluoride rinse if your child is old enough and knows to spit it out.
Healthy foods, healthy smiles
Proper nutrition is as critical to dental health as good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Limit your child’s intake of refined sugars such as those found in candy, soft drinks, and cookies. The natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables usually pass through the mouth quickly. Refined sugars, on the other hand, stick to teeth. The bacteria in plaque convert the sugar to an acid that damages enamel and causes cavities.
To prevent decay teach your child to brush after every meal. If this is not possible encourage your child to rinse his or her mouth after eating.
Seal it!
Pits are the deep grooves on the teeth’s chewing surfaces while fissures are channels that run down the sides of teeth. Pits and fissures trap the bacteria that cause tooth decay. To protect your child from tooth decay, we strongly suggest applying pit and fissure sealants on the first set of permanent molars soon after they emerge if the pits and grooves are especially deep.
Protect your young athlete
Does your child enjoy sports? We recommend a protective mouthguard to prevent traumatic injuries to your young athlete’s teeth. Talk to us today about an athletic mouthguard for your child – we make them right in our clinic!
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65 Queen Street West
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