Choosing the Right Sippy Cup

Choosing the Right Sippy Cup

Sippy cups. The cup for toddlers. Or, is it? After all, there’s the “transition cup,” the “toddler cup” and the “kid bottle.” Which is correct? Then there are a multitude of styles and materials to choose from ... not to mention the fact that certain types of sippy cups tend to land kids in the E.R.! What? We’re going to help you get through all of this muck with the help of some very well educated and experienced Mommy bloggers. Off we go!

If you laugh in the face of your child each time they toss their sippy cup across the room, and not a spill is to be found, you have mechanical engineer (and parent), Richard Belanger to thank for your entitled mockery. In 1988, tired of cleaning up after his son Bryan, Belanger designed what would become, the first sippy cup. So, parents (!) ... a big round of applause for Mr. Belanger!

Which type? The first thing you’ll want to figure out is: are you even using the correct cup?

First, the names:

• Transition cup: This cup will get you from breast- and bottle-feeding to your child’s first "cup." It’ll often have two handles to ease in handling and a soft nipple that’s easy on your baby’s gums. This cup is best for kids aged between 4-12 months.
• Toddler cup: The toddler cup is aimed at kids between 12 months and 3 years old. Most won’t have handles to help your child work on dexterity, and in this cup you’ll see all sorts of straws and spouts.
• Kid Bottle: Once your kids reach the age of 3, they’ve likely had all their teeth come in and are most certainly on the move! They’re much bigger than toddler cups and will look more like your own water bottle – just kid-sized.

What material? All sorts of obstacles exist with materials. With plastic, parents are often concerned about BPA. Glass is great, but if you thought a spill was bad, how about a spill with shattered glass everywhere? Stainless steel? Great, but heavy. Silicone looks like a good option as well, but to some,the jury is still out on its safety. Essentially, you have to decide for yourself after weighing all the options.

Which spout, straw or valve? Well, the American Dental Association is not a fan of valves – largely because they prolong the consumption of liquids via sucking method instead of sipping. And, when it comes to straws or spouts, a straw is generally preferred because it helps keep liquid off the front teeth, which can lead to cavities over time.

What about the hazards? Each of these containers, with perhaps the exception of the soft-spouted cup can also be hazardous should your child fall with one of them in their hand. In fact, every four hours a child somewhere lands in the emergency room because of a sippy cup injury. Ouch!

So what do you think? Do you have more of an idea now as to the differences between sippy cups? Do you have more questions? We bet you do. Certainly, a lot of the decision-making comes down to your own preferences for materials and risk tolerance concerning your child’s propensity to “run with scissors,” if you will. If you’d like to dig even deeper, check out the incredibly comprehensive “Sippy Cup Reviews” post on BabyGearLab.com, which served as inspiration for this article. We love the site – that Mommy blogger is a pediatrician!

Can a Meat-Free Diet Be Bad for Your Teeth?

Can a Meat-Free Diet Be Bad for Your Teeth?

In America, we're blessed with a wonderful selection of food to fuel our bodies. Crops are plentiful, and what doesn't grow here arrives via ship or air, creating food lifestyle choices not possible a generation ago. So, if you're more of a fruit and vegetables person, and are either a vegan or vegetarian – or considering these options - we wanted to take a look at how following that lifestyle can affect your teeth. You might be surprised to learn what seems like the best possible choice for the earth, your animal friends, and yourself, comes with a few caveats with regard to your oral health.

Can a Mindful Diet Be Bad for Your Teeth?

What could be better than eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables? After all, every doctor seems to suggest we include more leafy greens and antioxidant-rich fruits into our diets. What could possibly be wrong with just eating food from these two groups? More of the same has to be better, right?  Well, yes, and no.  And, as with everything, it depends on who you ask. Since we’re in the dental profession, and concerned about your teeth, that's the perspective we're going to examine. There are three main concerns when a diet lacks meat and dairy: snacking, acid, and a lack of re-mineralizing food products. Let's take a look:

1. Snacking: Most of us are familiar with the old rule of thumb that says we should have three square meals a day, and some prefer five to six to spread calories out more evenly. Vegans and vegetarians, however usually find themselves snacking constantly to meet their body's need for energy. And constant snacking is not good at all for your teeth. From the moment you put food into your mouth, the pH level in your oral cavity drops, creating a more acidic environment that wears down tooth enamel and provides a breeding ground for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. For those of us who eat 3-6 meals a day, this setback is temporary, and only lasts for about a half hour beyond a meal. For snackers, though, this acidic environment continues, on and on, until the snacking ceases.
2. Acid: What further complicates this approach to eating is the type of food vegetarians and vegans (particularly raw vegans), are prone to snack on – carbohydrate-rich acidic fruit, or dry sticky fruits. This double-whammy of a constantly acidic mouth from snacking doused with even more acid from fruit is a recipe for weak enamel and cavities. To counter this effect, snack less, avoid sticky fruits, choose more firm, less-acidic fruits, chew gum with Xylitol, and keep a bottle of water nearby to continually rinse your mouth. Also, don't rush to brush your teeth until a half hour after snacking. Doing so while the enamel is temporarily softened due to its acidic environment, can only make things worse. You may also want to seek out more filling carbohydrate choices such as whole grains. Nuts, which can protect your teeth, can also be a good choice, and provide healthy fats your body needs.
3. A Lack of Re-mineralizing Foods: And that brings us to the final big hurdle for our vegan and vegetarian friends out there – the general absence of remineralizing foods. Research suggests that meat, dairy and seafood help teeth in two ways. They may help counteract acidity in the mouth, and aid in the remineralization of teeth that have been demineralized in an acidic environment. Meat-free dieters lack these beneficial side-effects of a more omnivorous meal plan. That said, nuts, green leafy vegetables (without too much focus on spinach, which isn't good for your teeth), and sea vegetables can help with remineralization. You may also wish to consider supplements that provide you with the proper balance of vitamins and minerals you may be lacking in your diet. Doing so also ensures the proper absorption of all those great nutrients you are getting from your diet. Consumption without absorption can defeat the goal of a healthy diet.

Maintaining good healthy teeth is an important part of healthy living. That's why it is critical to understand how changes made to our diets affect our teeth. Surely, you will have more questions after reading this article. Conduct some more research on your own to learn more. There is a lot to cover when it comes to these concerns. Also, be sure to speak with your dentist and physician about your lifestyle choices and how to ensure you enjoy a long and happy life – and one that includes keeping all of your teeth as well!

8 Secrets to a Successful Back-to-School Dental Checkup

Backpack? Check. Booster shots? Check. Teeth cleaning? Check!

Regular dental visits are important year-round, but a back-to-school checkup is key in fighting the most common chronic disease found in school-age children:cavities. In fact, dental disease causes children to miss more than 51 million school hours each year. 

Prevention and early detection can help avoid pain, trouble eating, difficulty speaking and school absences. “When people are beginning to do their pediatrician checks to make sure their kids are school-ready, make sure teeth are part of it,” says pediatric dentist and American Dental Association spokesperson Dr. Mary Hayes. 

Plan Ahead

Between cookouts, camping trips and everything else on your family’s summer bucket list, it’s easy for school to sneak up on you. Unfortunately, many parents may not think about making that appointment until August, which Dr. Hayes says is one of her busiest times. “The rush is pretty intense,” she says. 

Give yourself enough time by making it a habit to call when your child gets her spring report card each year. “Planning ahead is good,” Dr. Hayes says. “If families want to avoid the rush to go back to school in August, then plan on getting appointments for the beginning of the summer.” 

Encourage Age-Appropriate Dental Habits at Home

The best kind of checkup is a cavity-free checkup. Moms and dads can help make this happen by encouraging kids to brush twice a day for two minutes and floss once a day. Here’s Dr. Hayes’ age-by-age advice:

Ages 6 and Under
At this age, your child might want to do all the brushing herself but doesn’t have the fine motor skills needed to do a thorough job. Let them start and jump in when needed. “During that age, the mouth is changing so much that children who are 5 or 6 are often brushing their teeth in the way they were when they were 2 or 3,” Dr. Hayes says. “They’re not accommodating the new molars, and they’re not accommodating the fact that the mouth is growing.”

Ages 7-12
By now, your child knows what to do, she just might not want to. Keep encouraging healthy brushing and flossing habits. “Be aware of the fact that sometimes you have to take over a little bit more,” she says. “By the time they’re teenagers, they’re starting to understand self-care, accountability for their actions and such.”

Ages 12-18
Dr. Hayes says this is a critical time for dental health. “When you look at research for when caries appear in kids, it tends to be in young kids. But another bump-up time is teenage years and early adulthood,” she says. “Part of this has to do with the fact that teenagers may have gone for many years and never had a cavity. They don’t necessarily take care of their teeth because they don’t see the consequence of not.”

Don’t let your teen's habits become out of sight, out of mind. “The behaviors of the teenager are going to translate into the 20-year-old. We want to be able to support them and be respectful of them because they’re not kids anymore.”

Timing Is Everything

Time of day can make or break your child’s appointment. “It’s important for a child of any age who’s used to a nap to not schedule during naptime,” she says. If your child is always cranky after waking up, factor that in too. 

For older children, avoid cramming in a dentist appointment right after day camp or school. “Not all kids have the energy to do that,” she says. “I will have parents who want to do very elaborate operative work after school because that’s when the kids can come out. But if the child has already been exhausted or had a bad day or had tests, they just don’t have the stamina to make it through the appointment successfully.”

Make One Child a Model

If you’ve scheduled back-to-back appointments for your children, there’s a simple way to decide who goes first: Choose the child who’s had the most positive experiences at the dentist. “Every child is going to be a little bit different in their temperament about how they approach a visit,” she says. “You generally want the ones first who are more successful because the others get to see how it goes.” 

A Hungry Child Is Not a Happy Patient

Feed your child a light meal before the appointment. “Hungry people are grouchy people. You want them to be comfortable,” she says. “It’s also generally a good idea not to feed them in the waiting room before you see the dentist because there’s all that food in [their mouth].”

Eating light is also better for a child with a healthy gag reflex. “Some children gag a lot just because they gag with everything,” she says. “As they age and they get more control over swallowing, kids tend to gag less.” 

Bonus points if your child brushes before an appointment. “It’s polite,” Dr. Hayes says.

Leave Your Anxiety at the Door

If your heart races at the very thought of the dentist, your child can probably tell. “Kids pick up on parents’ anxiety,” Dr. Hayes says. “It’s important with kids, especially at 4, 5 and 6, because I believe the phobic adults are the ones who had bad experiences when they were that age.”

The younger your kids are, the more you need to be aware of how you’re communicating with them. For example, if your child asks about getting a cavity filled, don’t say, “It will only hurt for a little bit.” Instead, encourage your child to ask the dentist. “With any child, you want them to be able to feel successful at accomplishing a good visit and link that positive feeling with the idea that their teeth are strong and healthy so they have that message going forward for the rest of their lives.”

Keep Cool If Your Child Won’t Cooperate

If your child gets upset during her visit, the worst thing you can do is swoop them out of the chair and leave. “The next visit is going to be harder,” Dr. Hayes says. “You still have to help them get through part of the visit.”

First, assess why your child is acting out. Are they truly afraid, or are they trying to test the situation? “One of the reasons I think a 4, 5 or 6-year-old gets upset is because they think they’re going to be asked to do something they can’t be successful at,” she says. “They’re in an environment they feel they can’t control and that makes them upset, so we try to break it down into small steps.”

Then, work as a team with your dentist to keep the visit going. Let the dentist lead the conversation. Jump in where you think it helps most, while still allowing the dentist and your child to build a good relationship. “Give the dentist every opportunity to turn the visit around,” she says. 

Take a Card (or Three) on Your Way Out

Accidents can happen whether your child is in sports camp, gym class or just walking down the street. In case of emergency, make sure your child’s teachers and coaches have all the medical contact information they need – including your dentist’s number. Grab business cards for your wallet, your child’s backpack and your school’s files. “Parents should be very aware of accidents and make sure that wherever they go that they bring the number of their dentist so that if a child has an accident, they can certainly call the office,” Dr. Hayes says.

Does Your Mouth Tingle When You Eat Certain Foods? It May Be Your Allergies.

Does Your Mouth Tingle When You Eat Certain Foods? It May Be Your Allergies.

If you’re inclined to spend March through October indoors, do laundry more frequently than you wish, carry a bottle of nasal spray with you at all times, and start each day by quickly browsing pollen counts online, we’re going to help you confirm a hunch. First, a question: have you ever felt your mouth get itchy after enjoying certain types of fruits and vegetables? Or how about your ears? If you’re an allergy sufferer, and could always swear you experience an allergic reaction to certain fruits, nuts and vegetables, you’re probably right. You just might have what’s called “Oral Allergy Syndrome.” Read on.

What is Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)?

OAS is a food-related allergy to certain proteins located in specific fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. It’s also known as both food-pollen allergy syndrome and fruit-pollen syndrome, and it affects about 25% of people with “common” allergies. The reason you experience a reaction to these foods is that there are food proteins in fruits, nuts and vegetables that closely resemble those contained in tree and weed pollen.

As a result, the immune system recognizes the proteins as an allergen and triggers the release of histamine. And we all know what happens after that! The all-too-familiar itchy, scratchy, burning sensation that tells us we’ve stumbled onto something our body doesn’t like very much. For most people with OAS, the effects are most often localized to the mouth, but can sometimes also be felt in the back of the throat, eyes, ears, nose and skin. Scientists refer to this response of the immune system to a related, but not identical allergen, as cross-reactivity.

A List of Common Offenders

• If you’re allergic to alder pollen: almonds, apples, celery, cherries, hazel nuts, peaches, pears, parsley, strawberry, and raspberry
• Birch pollen: almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, carrots, celery, cherries, chicory, coriander, fennel, fig, hazel nuts, kiwifruit, nectarines, parsley, parsnips, peaches, pears, peppers, plums, potatoes, prunes, soy, strawberries, wheat; Potential: walnuts
• Grass pollen: fig, melons, tomatoes, oranges
• Mugwort pollen: carrots, celery, coriander, fennel, parsley, peppers, and sunflower
• Ragweed pollen: banana, cantaloupe, cucumber, green pepper, paprika, sunflower seeds/oil, honeydew, watermelon, zucchini, Echinacea, artichoke, dandelions, honey (if bees pollinate from wild flowers), hibiscus or chamomile tea

Reducing the Symptoms

1. Keep a food diary: Make note of specific food triggers. You may find, for example, that different varieties of the same fruit trigger a lesser response than another of the same variety. For example, Granny Smith vs. Jonagold apples.
2. Peel the fruit first: For some this works, and if you’re concerned at all about pesticides, this helps decrease that threat as well.
3. Purchase and eat fresh: For some, the fresher, the better. Storage can increase the allergens in some fruits.
4. Cook ‘em up: Cooking changes the shapes of these offending proteins, keeping the immune response in check. So make pie instead of eating apples raw!
5. Get the shot: Occasionally, allergy shots can provide relief from OAS reactions, so ask your allergist if it’s right for you.

Tips for Saving On Your Kids' Dental Expenses

Tips for Saving On Your Kids' Dental Expenses

Saving money when it comes to dental care is about preparation. Knowing what to plan for, knowing what to look out for, and when and how much to spend on recommended care. To lend a helping hand, we thought we’d lay out a few simple ways for you to stay on top of your game when it comes to keeping your kids in good health, and keeping your hard-earned money where it belongs – in your pocket!

1. Remind Them to Wear Their Retainer: Ask any adult who has worn braces, which piece of orthodontic advice they WISH they had adhered to, and overwhelmingly they’ll say they wish they wore their retainer more often. Without question, ensuring your kids wear their retainer as often as their orthodontist suggests, and in every suggested situation, is the key to avoiding an early return to shifting teeth.
   
   And while some shifting is natural as kids grow into adulthood, for those who don’t wear their retainer, that shift might come much, much sooner than desired – sometimes while they’re still in their teens. That could mean a return to some form of orthodontic appliance, another round of braces, and quite likely, if they’re still under your purse strings, another big bill. 
2. Teach Them Proper Brushing Technique: Most kids, and most adults for that matter, still have no idea how to brush properly. And that’s a problem, because all that back’n’forth rapid-fire brushing is wearing away precious tooth enamel. Long-term, this sort of habit can lead to premature deterioration of tooth enamel, resulting in expenses to repair those teeth with bonding. Even worse: gum grafting procedures. Teach them to go soft, and in small circles. If necessary, repeat the instruction while with the dentist … and often.
3. Promote Foods That are Good for Their Teeth: Certain kinds of foods help protect and remineralize teeth. And what’s best isn’t always what you’d think. Take cheese for example … who would have thought all that mac’n’cheese served a purpose? Good food keeps away decay, which keeps away fillings, which keeps more money in your pocket.
4. Visit the Doc: It bears mentioning that maintaining regular visits to the dentist is important. Why? Because life gets away from us and sometimes we forget. Or, when kids are young, we just think it’s not that necessary. By the time that first tooth comes in, though, they should already be visiting the dentist, and by the time they’re seven, a quick consult with the orthodontist is usually in order as well. Regular visits always help to catch small problems before they become major ones. 
5. Keep Pushing the Water: We all know kids love their energy drinks. Their teeth, on the other hand, can’t stand them, and decay and enamel wear tend to be the eventual result. So, put a wedge between decay and costly repair by ensuring your kids are drinking a lot of what mother nature has gifted us with: water. Water. Water. Water. It should be a mantra … 
6. Shop for a Mouthguard: The American Dental Association has said that 200,000 injuries to the mouth could be prevented each year simply by wearing a sports mouth guard. The cost of a custom guard is infinitesimal compared to the cost involved in repairing and or replacing several teeth. Get one today if you have a child who participates in sports. This can’t be stressed enough.
7. Stop the Comparison Game: Kids love to compare. Johnny has this, Sally has that. And, when kids start to notice their appearance, the game gets kicked up a notch. But remember when you were a kid? Before whitening agents were in seemingly every toothpaste, and when kids were actually proud of the space between their teeth? Not everything needs to be “fixed” right away. There is a time for these treatments if they’re so desired, and they’re best only when you and your family decide they are. Not when Johnny and Sally say they are. So, save your money. Remember, it’s okay to be a kid. There’s plenty of time to grow up and be “perfect” later in life. 
8. Use Your Flexible Spending Account: Many parents waste away the money in flexible spending accounts. Don’t do that. Here’s how to prepare so you don’t lose your hard-earned money.
9. Stay Educated: Good dentists are interested in creating a base of educated patients. That’s why they send out newsletters (like this one)! So be sure to read up on what’s being sent to you – it’ll help you keep abreast of concerns you need to be on the lookout for, or methods you can share with your kids to help them keep their teeth in great shape. The content here is always evolving, and designed to help you stay on top of your kids’ health and budget.

This list could really be book-length, but these are some of the biggies. Follow them, and you’ll win twice-over: good health and good finances.

Does Your Mouth Tingle...May Be Allergies!

Does Your Mouth Tingle When You Eat Certain Foods? It May Be Your Allergies.

If you’re inclined to spend March through October indoors, do laundry more frequently than you wish, carry a bottle of nasal spray with you at all times, and start each day by quickly browsing pollen counts online, we’re going to help you confirm a hunch. First, a question: have you ever felt your mouth get itchy after enjoying certain types of fruits and vegetables? Or how about your ears? If you’re an allergy sufferer, and could always swear you experience an allergic reaction to certain fruits, nuts and vegetables, you’re probably right. You just might have what’s called “Oral Allergy Syndrome.” Read on.

What is Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)?

OAS is a food-related allergy to certain proteins located in specific fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. It’s also known as both food-pollen allergy syndrome and fruit-pollen syndrome, and it affects about 25% of people with “common” allergies. The reason you experience a reaction to these foods is that there are food proteins in fruits, nuts and vegetables that closely resemble those contained in tree and weed pollen.

As a result, the immune system recognizes the proteins as an allergen and triggers the release of histamine. And we all know what happens after that! The all-too-familiar itchy, scratchy, burning sensation that tells us we’ve stumbled onto something our body doesn’t like very much. For most people with OAS, the effects are most often localized to the mouth, but can sometimes also be felt in the back of the throat, eyes, ears, nose and skin. Scientists refer to this response of the immune system to a related, but not identical allergen, as cross-reactivity.

A List of Common Offenders

• If you’re allergic to alder pollen: almonds, apples, celery, cherries, hazel nuts, peaches, pears, parsley, strawberry, and raspberry
• Birch pollen: almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, carrots, celery, cherries, chicory, coriander, fennel, fig, hazel nuts, kiwifruit, nectarines, parsley, parsnips, peaches, pears, peppers, plums, potatoes, prunes, soy, strawberries, wheat; Potential: walnuts
• Grass pollen: fig, melons, tomatoes, oranges
• Mugwort pollen: carrots, celery, coriander, fennel, parsley, peppers, and sunflower
• Ragweed pollen: banana, cantaloupe, cucumber, green pepper, paprika, sunflower seeds/oil, honeydew, watermelon, zucchini, Echinacea, artichoke, dandelions, honey (if bees pollinate from wild flowers), hibiscus or chamomile tea

Reducing the Symptoms

1. Keep a food diary: Make note of specific food triggers. You may find, for example, that different varieties of the same fruit trigger a lesser response than another of the same variety. For example, Granny Smith vs. Jonagold apples.
2. Peel the fruit first: For some this works, and if you’re concerned at all about pesticides, this helps decrease that threat as well.
3. Purchase and eat fresh: For some, the fresher, the better. Storage can increase the allergens in some fruits.
4. Cook ‘em up: Cooking changes the shapes of these offending proteins, keeping the immune response in check. So make pie instead of eating apples raw!
5. Get the shot: Occasionally, allergy shots can provide relief from OAS reactions, so ask your allergist if it’s right for you.

Start Early with Healthy Child Dental Habits

Healthy Habits

Start Early  

Your child’s baby teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they first appear—which is typically around age 6 months. Tooth decay in infants and toddlers is often referred to as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. It most often occurs in the upper front teeth, but other teeth may also be affected. In some cases, infants and toddlers experience decay so severe that their teeth cannot be saved and need to be removed.

The good news is that tooth decay is preventable! Most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth by the time they are 3-years-old. As your child grows, their jaws also grow, making room for their permanent teeth.

Baby Teeth Eruption Chart

Cleaning Your Child’s Teeth

• Begin cleaning your baby’s mouth during the first few days after birth by wiping the gums with a clean, moist gauze pad or washcloth. As soon as teeth appear, decay can occur. A baby’s front four teeth usually push through the gums at about 6 months of age, although some children don’t have their first tooth until 12 or 14 months. 
• For children younger than 3 years, caregivers should begin brushing children’s teeth as soon as they begin to come into the mouth by using fluoride toothpaste in an amount no more than a smear or the size of a grain of rice. Brush teeth thoroughly twice per day (morning and night) or as directed by a dentist or physician. Supervise children’s brushing to ensure that they use of the appropriate amount of toothpaste.
• For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Brush teeth thoroughly twice per day (morning and night) or as directed by a dentist or physician. Supervise children’s brushing and remind them not to swallow the toothpaste.
• Until you’re comfortable that your child can brush on his or her own, continue to brush your child's teeth twice a day with a child-size toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. When your child has two teeth that touch, you should begin flossing their teeth daily.

Teething  

Teething is one of the first rituals of life. Although newborns usually have no visible teeth, most baby teeth begin to appear generally about six months after birth. During the first few years of your child’s life, all 20 baby teeth will push through the gums and most children will have their full set of these teeth in place by age 3. A baby’s front four teeth usually erupt or push through the gums at about six months of age, although some children don’t have their first tooth until 12 or 14 months. As their teeth erupt, some babies may become fussy, sleepless and irritable, lose their appetite or drool more than usual. Diarrhea, rashes and a fever are not normal symptoms for a teething baby. If your infant has a fever or diarrhea while teething or continues to be cranky and uncomfortable, call your physician.

First Dental Visit  

Don’t wait for them to start school or until there's an emergency. Get your child comfortable today with good mouth healthy habits.Although the first visit is mainly for the dentist to examine your child’s mouth and to check growth and development, it’s also about your child being comfortable. To make the visit positive:

• Consider making a morning appointment when children tend to be rested and cooperative.
• Keep any anxiety or concerns you have to yourself. Children can pick up on your emotions, so emphasize the positive.
• Never use a dental visit as a punishment or threat.
• Never bribe your child.
• Talk with your child about visiting the dentist.

During this visit, you can expect the dentist to:

• Inspect for oral injuries, cavities or other problems.
• Let you know if your child is at risk of developing tooth decay.
• Clean your child’s teeth and provide tips for daily care.
• Discuss teething, pacifier use, or finger/thumbsucking habits.
• Discuss treatment, if needed, and schedule the next check-up.

Fluoride  

Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in all water sources, including oceans, rivers and lakes. Fluoride is also added to some community tap water, toothpastes and mouth rinses. Infants and toddlers who do not receive an adequate amount of fluoride may be at an increased risk for tooth decay since fluoride helps make tooth enamel more resistant to decay. It also helps repair weakened enamel. Bottled water may not contain fluoride; therefore, children who regularly drink bottled water or unfluoridated tap water may be missing the benefits of fluoride. If you are not sure if your tap water has fluoride, contact your local or state health department or water supplier.

Discuss your child’s fluoride needs with your dentist or pediatrician. They may recommend a fluoride supplement if you live in an area where the community water is not fluoridated.

Pacifiers 

Infants and young children may suck on thumbs, other fingers or pacifiers. Pacifiers dipped in sugar, honey, juice or sweetened drinks, can lead to tooth decay. Tooth decay can also begin when cavity-causing bacteria pass from saliva in a mother or caregiver’s mouth to the baby. When the mother or caregiver puts the baby’s feeding spoon in her mouth, or cleans a pacifier in her mouth, the bacteria can be passed to the baby.