New parents have one more reason to pay attention to
the oral health of their toothless babies. The University of Illinois recently completed
a study that confirms the presence of bacteria associated with early childhood
caries (ECC) in infant saliva, making
baby dental care critical.
ECC is a dangerous form of caries, more commonly known as tooth decay or a
cavity. Cavities are the most prevalent infectious disease among children
residing in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
One of the lead researchers of the University, Kelly Swanson, confirmed
that, "By the time children reach kindergarten, 40 percent of them have
dental cavities. In addition, populations who are of low socioeconomic status,
who consume a diet high in sugar and whose mothers have low education levels,
are 32 times more likely to have this disease.
"We now recognize that the ‘window of infectivity,’ which was thought
to occur between 19 and 33 months of age years ago, really occurs at a much
younger age. Minimizing snacks and drinks with fermentable sugars and wiping
the gums of babies without teeth, as suggested by the American Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry, are important practices for new parents to follow when it
comes to baby dental care."
The study suggests that with breast-fed babies, mothers who eat foods high
in fermentable sugars can pass those sugars on to their children. That’s why
the practice of wiping the child’s gums after feeding as proposed by the AAPD
is so important.
So does consistent oral care for babies really prevent cavities for when
they are older? Researchers concluded that it does. If you perform consistent oral
care on your children starting at birth, they will have fewer cavities as adults.
However, when it comes to taking care of your baby’s dental care, you want to make
sure that you are using the very best dentists you can. You want professionals
that are going to be tender and caring and who know exactly what they are doing.
Online dental directory sites can help you find the top dentists in your area.
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