Here’s a pop quiz for parents:
- What’s the No. 1 most prevalent preventable disease in children?
- What sugar substitute shows promise in helping protect against cavities?
- At what age should a child first visit the dentist?
How’d you do? Keep reading for the answers, courtesy of Dr. Lynn Booth of Penterson & Booth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Midlothian.
You may have already figured out the first answer. Dental caries – also known as tooth decay – is the most prevalent chronic disease in both children and adults, according to National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the federal government’s lead agency for scientific research on dental, oral and craniofacial health.
Fortunately, tooth decay is almost entirely preventable.
“The tooth is the only part of the body that can’t heal itself. So it’s important to see your dentist regularly and develop good oral hygiene habits at a young age,” said Dr. Lynn Booth, who along with her husband, Dr. Stephen Booth, own and operate the dental practice at 5954 Harbour Park Drive in Midlothian.
“Treating tooth decay is best done as soon as possible,” Dr. Lynn added. “The sooner a cavity is treated, the more conservative the restoration. A small cavity can be treated with a minimally invasive restoration called a filling, to fill in the pit caused by decay while protecting the tooth from further damage.”
In addition, it’s important to preserve baby teeth. Why is this important? Baby teeth just fall out anyway, right?
In fact, baby teeth are important as they set the stage for permanent teeth to come in properly. Children use their primary teeth for years for chewing, and baby teeth are crucial for proper speech development, Dr. Lynn said. With early diagnosis, decay in primary teeth can be treated, so that the teeth can be preserved and fall out on their own, when their critical function has been accomplished.
Some studies show genetics may increase the chance of having primary tooth cavities, and studies also show having a sweet tooth can be inherited. However, everyone can reduce the chance of tooth decay through consistent prevention including avoiding sugar, twice-daily brushing and flossing, using dentist-approved mouth rinses, and visiting the dentist regularly for cleanings, checkups and sealants.
What is good oral hygiene? It’s the removal of bacteria and leftover food particles that combine to create cavities. This means wiping infant teeth with a wet cloth after each feeding, teaching and supervising older children in thoroughly brushing and flossing after meals, and limiting sugary foods. New research shows that xylitol, a sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute, can protect teeth from harmful bacteria, suggesting that sweet foods containing xylitol may be a better choice.
So, when’s the best age to schedule a child’s first visit to the dentist? There are actually two answers to this question.
Dr. Lynn encourages parents to bring their babies to the dentist before age 1, to start acclimating them to the doctors and the surroundings, as well as to educate the parents on home hygiene, provide dietary recommendations, go over family history, determine any congenital issues, and answer parents’ questions. Children generally tend to be more cooperative around age 3, which is the age Dr. Lynn recommends scheduling their first cleaning.
“Because we’re a family dental practice, it’s not only convenient for our patients to come to their visits together, but it also allows us to become familiar with the entire family’s dental and medical history, along with perhaps some of the dental conditions that might be genetic,” said Dr. Lynn. “By going to the same dentist, parents can show nervous children that receiving dental treatment can be a positive experience.”
Penterson & Booth strives to make their offices kid-friendly with TVs in every exam room, fuzzy blankets, goodie bags, and a treasure drawer of toys for not having any cavities or for a brave patient who did well with a restorative procedure. There’s also a friendly and compassionate dental team that understands how important it is that children have a positive experience at the dentist and who bend over backward to make sure that happens.
“It is our No. 1 priority to make sure that all of our patients always have a positive experience at our office, especially children,” said Dr. Lynn. “We see too many adult patients who have had a bad experience as a child, and it affects them for the rest of their lives. We go above and beyond to make sure that does not happen, to earn trust by explaining the procedures so patients know what to expect, and by using comforting words and actions to put them at ease.”
Parents can help by reading their children library books about going to the dentist, showing them photos of the dentist and the dental team, and having children watch another family member to set a good example and become familiar with dental experience. It's also important to avoid negative questions like “Did it hurt?” and to talk positively about what to expect from a dental visit.
Quiz answers, if you didn’t catch them in the story:
- Tooth decay.
- Xylitol.
- By age 1 just to visit and for parental education. By age 3 for a first dental exam.
Penterson & Booth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
5954 Harbour Park Drive, Midlothian
804.293.0684
pbddssmiles.com
Top prevention steps
Clean teeth twice daily
Use child-sized brush with soft bristles
Floss twice a day
Use fluoride toothpaste
Schedule dental checkups twice a year
Ask your dentist about protective sealants
Cavity-causing foods
Candies & cookies
Soda, juice & sport drinks
Chocolate milk
Dried fruit & fruit strips
Pretzels & crackers
Bedtime bottles for babies or toddlers should contain only water.
Patient testimonial
"My 8-year-old daughter cannot stop saying how much she likes the dentist now.. ... Never heard that from her at her pediatric dentist, and I certainly don't remember saying that growing up myself - I dreaded the dentist. I wanted to give a shout-out to you guys because you always do such a great job!" - Julia B.