Baby teeth cavities on the rise

Preschoolers today are more likely to have cavities than they did a decade ago, according to a recent study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The percentage of children ages 2 to 5 who have had at least one cavity in their baby teeth was 28 percent in 1999-2004. This is up from 24 percent in 1988-1994, the study said.

One cause of the increase could be from the child's diet, said John Williams, a pediatric dentist in Jackson.
"Parents need to have an active role in what their child eats and drinks," he said. "Don't let them go to bed with a bottle or sippy cup unless there's only water in it. Apple juice, even from concentrate, has a lot of sugar in it."

Keeping the amount of sweet things consumed to a minimum is good, Williams said.

"When people hear "sweets," they think "candy." But it's more than that. Anything with carbohydrates has sugar. And potato chips stay on the teeth far longer than any candy does."

Children's medicines can also cause problems, said Ralph Nixon, also a pediactric dentist.

"Almost all liquid mediciations have a very high sugar content," he said. "Children need to brush after taking any oral medication or vitamins."

Tammy Stout has been trying to teach the importance of healthy teeth to her 4-year-old daughter, Haley.

She has also been taking her to the dentist for two years.

"I just want her teeth be to taken care of from the very beginning," she said. "She can already brush her teeth on her own, and I just supervise."

Other things parents can do: Limit the amount of juices a child has during the day, and provide calcium-rich snacks such as cheese and yogurt instead of cookies or candy, Williams said.

Stout heard about the danger of tooth decay and wanted to prevent it for Haley.

"I just know how important it is for her teeth to be healthy," she said.

Aside from teaching her daughter how to brush her teeth, Stout also tries to feed her daughter healthy foods and follows Williams' instructions.

But eating right is only part of the fight to prevent tooth decay in those baby teeth, Williams said.

"Parents need to be informed," Williams said. "Thinking it's just their baby teeth, they're going to fall out anyway is the wrong attitude to have. Bring children in to the dentist to be checked. Whenever I have a young child in here, I use it as a time educate the parent about proper care."

Some think there's no need to worry about cavities because their baby teeth are going to fall out anyway, Nixon said.

"Yes, they do fall out," he said. "However, if they have cavities and are not treated, the infection is very acidic and can cause damage to the forming permanent teeth.

"Children who do not have healthy teeth can not chew food correctly, especially foods high in fiber such as apples and celery. That can result in constipation."

As soon as the first six teeth have come in, parents should start brushing, Williams said.

"In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends cleaning the baby's gums before teeth even come in."

Children can start effectively brushing on their own around the age of six, Williams said.

"I usually gauge it by, if they can tie their shoes, they can brush their teeth."

Source : http://www.jacksonsun.com