Tooth Talk Winter 2000 * Issue 13
What you've always wanted to know about your child's dental health from birth to age five... Dental health care for children five and under is essential for developing proper oral health habits that will lead to a lifetime of exemplary oral health care. Here's how you can ensure your child has healthy teeth in the future: 1. Understand that first teeth are vital to permanent teeth development Your child's first teeth are vital in helping your child eat and learn to speak properly. Healthy teeth are also important for a child to develop a good self-image. The baby teeth hold a space in the jaw for the adult teeth and guide them into position. Some first teeth provide a proper chewing surface until age 12 or 13. If a baby tooth is lost too early, the adult tooth (which replaces it) may not be guided into the proper position and may cause adult teeth to come in crooked or crowded. 2. Start with positive infant feeding habits and good nutrition Provide a varied and healthy diet to ensure that your child gets sufficient amounts of minerals, calcium and phosphorus, and vitamins A, C and D to ensure proper tooth development and strength. Practice smart snacking: choose something without sugar - nuts and seeds, cheese or pizza - for your child's between-meal snacks and save the sweets for mealtimes when increased saliva flow helps neutralize the effects of sugar. 3. Guard against baby bottle decay and excessive thumb-sucking Baby bottle decay can occur when a baby falls asleep with a bottle containing a sweet liquid like juice, formula or milk. Even drinks that are good for your baby contain different types of sugar that can be harmful to baby teeth. When allowed to pool during sleep, sugary or carbohydrate-rich liquids can lead to cavities, tooth loss, infections or more serious problems. Watch for dull white spots or lines on the teeth, particularly on the tongue side. Dark or discoloured teeth may be the sign of a more serious problem. To avoid baby bottle decay, use only water in your infant's bottle at bedtime and do not dip your child's pacifier in sweet liquids such as honey or sugar. While it is true that sucking is one of babies' natural reflexes - relaxing, comforting and feeding them - the need for sucking usually decreases after the age of two or three and has minimal long term effects on permanent teeth. But sometimes, prolonged and vigorous sucking after the age of five can cause problems with dental development. If you are concerned about your child's sucking, talk to your dentist. 4. Brush and floss your child's teeth until he or she is able A child's teeth need to be brushed and gums massaged when teething starts and the first tooth appears. It is good practise to clean the area of the gums where there aren't any teeth with a wet face cloth. For children under three, brush your child's teeth with a child-sized toothbrush and plain water. For children over three, use only a pea-size amount of toothpaste but ensure your child spits rather than swallows the toothpaste. When your child has the manual dexterity, encourage your child to brush his or her own teeth, but you should brush them yourself afterwards to ensure that a good and thorough job is done. Flossing is also important for baby teeth because it enables you to clean between the teeth where the toothbrush can't reach and where most cavities and gum disease start. You will probably have to floss for them until they are eight or nine years old because of the greater co-ordination necessary. 5. Schedule your child's first dental visit sooner than later The first visit with the dentist should take place around the age of two or when the first 20 teeth have appeared, but sometimes earlier. It is important to introduce a child to the dentist before a problem develops so your child can develop positive feelings about his or her dentist. You want your child to be relaxed and happy rather than frightened and in discomfort and you want to be able to discuss any dental care issues you may have. Visit the dentist every six months to check for cavities and proper tooth development. Remember that, as a parent, you have a vital role to play as teacher and motivator. With your support, your child can develop excellent oral health habits that will last a lifetime. (Source : ODA Patient Fact Sheet, October 1999.)
Cavity free club Several of our younger patients are cavity free at their 6, 9 or 12 month appointments.  They become members of our cavity free club and we congratulate them.  For the past few months, they are:  Samantha Graziano Ian Argue Casandra Martin Amanda Pineo Michael Sherwood Thomas Sherwood Emily Nadolny Allison Argue Micaela Hardy Stephanie McKay Kevin McKay James Sullivan Madison Hardy Hannah Gleddie Andrew Lawrence Katie Ayoub Christopher Jackson Danica Olders Philippe Frowd James Graziano James Jackson Sean O'Keefe Emilie McKay Rosa Corsi Welsey Robertson Keep up the good work!	Message from Gail:    Message from Gail: We have a winner in our rename the Dental News Contest. Mr. Ian Carruthers provided us with the winning entry... "Tooth Talk". Congratulations Mr. Carruthers! · · · · · · · · · · · In the News:      Air abrasion treatment of stained pits & fissures in teenagers & young adults under age 30 showed: - Decay was almost always present under the stained pits & fissures of non-smokers - If sealants were placed years earlier, & not maintained, teeth were always decayed - Practice of sealing stained pits & fissures needs reconsideration. - Patients want to be made aware of their oral condition & help make treatment decisions. Most preferred to explore & excise rather than watch or seal, even though their insurance might not pay for treatment. Source: CRA Newsletter, December 1999.
	Did you know we have a dental knowledge quiz on our website?     Well we do... and you can even win a prize for trying it out.     click here to try the quiz now     Wouldn't you like to be the next winner!?!?!?!/
Oral Hygiene Tip   You may or may not already know that cheese does not promote tooth decay. But now a growing number of studies suggests that eating a piece of cheese after a meal or snack may actually protect teeth against cavities Cheeses contain calcium, protein, fat and phosphorus, all of which protect teeth from acids and help them stay strong. As well, eating cheese stimulates the production of saliva, which helps to dilute and clear away sugars. Saliva also aids in the neutralizing acids and remineralizing teeth. For more information on cheese and tooth decay, feel free to ask me or visit the Canadian Dairy Producers web page at http://www.milk.org Lisette
Gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Yet it may not be apparent unless you know the symptoms. If you have bleeding gums, bad breath, or areas that trap food, you may be developing gum disease. A professional exam is the only way to know for sure. Call us today to schedule an appointment.   · · · · · · · · · · ·   Archive: Issue #12 Winter 2000 Issue #11 Spring/Summer 1999 Issue #10 Winter 1998 Issue #9 Summer 1998 Issue #8 Spring1998 Issue #7 Winter 1997 Issue #6 Fall 1997 Issue #5 Spring-Summer 1997	Office Hours: Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  8-5pm  8-5pm  12-8pm  8-8pm To Reach Us: phone  fax  email 733-5190  733-6314  doctorr@magi.com Staff: Gail Doll  Lisette Dufour  DR Marc Noel  Leith Ross Cheryl Seguin Fiona Ball Front-Office Coordinator  Hygienist  Associate Dentist  In-Office Manager Dental Assitant Dental Assistant