Help keep children's teeth cavity-free
By David Canale, DDS

Wouldn't it be great to never experience the pleasure associated with having a cavity filled? The numbness, the sound of the drill whaling away in your head, and the horrible tastes that we dentists seem to have readily available?

There are more and more people living their entire life, or at least well into it, without a single cavity. It is possible, but prevention needs to start early, even before your child is born.

•Good oral health for the parents and care givers. Dental caries is an infectious disease and, untreated, dental disease can pass on to the kids.

The bacteria that cause cavities and periodontitis can be passed from person to person and establish themselves as life long inhabitants of our children. This can happen when baby puts his fingers in mom's mouth then his mouth, or dad checking the temperature of baby's food with his lips.

Before baby is born, mom, dad, grandma, any of baby's caregivers should see their dentist regularly, and establish good brushing and flossing habits.

•Do not put baby to bed with the bottle. Baby should only have the bottle at meal time. Sleeping while sucking on the bottle filled with milk, juice or any liquid other than water can easily cause cavities. Even milk and 100 percent juice have sugar in them and, as the teeth soak, the acid content in these liquids break down the enamel.

•Sippy cups are evil. Having four kids of my own I know how convenient sippy cups are, but they can wreak havoc on children's teeth. Kids walk around with them sipping constantly, the teeth are bathed in sugars, the sugars convert to acids and cavities are formed. Sippy cups with milk or juice at meal time are okay, or throughout the day filled with water only.

•Start cleaning the child's teeth as soon as the first tooth comes in. This can be done with an infant toothbrush and nonfluoridated toothpaste or a moist washcloth. Keep the plaque off the teeth. Plaque has a high acid content that takes the minerals out of the enamel and this weakens the tooth and causes decay.

•Regular and early dental visits. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Family Physicians both recommend dental visits to start at 1 year old.

Think of this as a well baby visit. Pediatricians typically see a child seven times by age 1 for routine visits. All we the dentists are asking for is one visit. Caries is the most common disease in children, five times more prevalent then asthma, so one simple educational visit is well worth it.

This first office visit is mainly to educate the parents but will also allow your dentist to take a quick look and answer any questions the parents may have. This visit also serves to establish a dental home for the child. This can be very important. For example, if the child falls and injures a tooth the last thing you want to do is start flipping through the phone book looking for a dentist you know nothing about.

•Fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that when used correctly in the right concentrations will re-mineralize enamel, strengthen the teeth and can even reverse decay. Nothing in modern dentistry has helped the fight against tooth decay as that of fluoride.

There are two ways we use fluoride. One is systemic which means we swallow it. It is very important that we do not swallow too much.

The other is topical, which means we soak the teeth in it then spit it out. Ventura County water is fluoridated to the optimal level which is .6 parts per million gallons of water. If the child is drinking tap water she is covered for the systemic fluoride. If you have well water, it needs to be measured for each well.

Topical fluoride is fluoride that coats the teeth and is not meant to be swallowed. Examples are toothpastes, rinses and gels from your dentist. Your dentist will direct you as to the types and amount of this type of fluoride as it varies greatly for each child.

•Sealants. This is a non invasive plastic coating that covers the deep pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of molar teeth. They prevent cavities before they start.

Sealants are especially helpful during the teenage years when many kids seem to be more susceptible to cavities due to decreased brushing and flossing and increased soda drinking.

•A good diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugars and fats.

Canale practices dentistry in Old Town Moorpark. He treats children and adults. He can be reached at (805) 529-2400.