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Look Inside

© Tracey Ryan

Contributing Editor's Commentary:

I had a tough day at the office. I saw at least five children under the age of seven with more than four decayed teeth. Some of the teeth were so badly decayed that they required removal. Many of the teeth had decay right on the front surfaces-visible when the child smiled. I must urge parents and care givers to carefully look at and in their childrens' mouths on a DAILY basis, and see what is going on in there. The majority of the parents were totally unaware of the badly decayed areas that were visible to the naked eye. If white , brown or black spots are noticed (that cannot be removed by brushing) please contact your dental office because chances are that the child has decay (cavities).

Myth : Little children do not get cavities. The truth is, many small children get decay. In fact, babies who are put to bed with a bottle experience Baby Bottle Mouth Decay-a severe decaying of the teeth that usually requires removal of the destroyed teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a dental exam as early as 12 months of age. http://www.aapd.org

Myth: Baby teeth (primary teeth) do not need to be filled, since they are going to fall out anyway. Think again. Primary teeth serve not only as a chewing mechanism, but as "spacers" for the erupting permanent teeth. Remember that a child has some of his baby teeth until he is 11 or 12 years old. Also, a badly decayed baby tooth can abscess and can cause much pain for your small child.

Myth : Small children can do a good enough job brushing their own teeth. I personally recommend that parents brush their children's teeth at least once per day for children under age seven. Children just cannot clean all the plaque off their teeth-I see plaque build up on kids everyday.

So remember-please LOOK inside your child mouth to what's going on in there!

Happy flossing!

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