SENSATIONAL BEGINNINGS 
The earliest care providing a Sensational Smile every day…

Take care of your baby’s teeth and gums before teething even begins. Establishing good dental hygiene at a young age, even for an infant, leads to a lifetime of good health. Below is some advice from your Sensational Smiles team on what you need to do to take care of your baby’s oral health from the earliest of ages.

1st Dental Visit

For optimal oral health, a good rule of thumb is to bring your child to the pediatric dentist by his/her first birthday. Your child needs to visit a dentist when the first tooth comes in, usually between six and 12 months of age.   A gentle examination will be performed on your baby’s mouth, teeth and gums and a fluoride varnish is recommended to be applied. Be sure your child visits the dentist early to give him/her the best chance of preventing dental problems. Children with healthy teeth chew food easily and smile with confidence. Start your child now on a lifetime of good dental habits.

Cleaning Baby’s Teeth

Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft infant toothbrush or cloth and water. As soon as the teeth begin to appear, start brushing twice daily using fluoridated toothpaste and a soft, age-appropriate sized toothbrush. Use only a "smear" of toothpaste to brush the teeth of a child less than 2 years of age. For your two-five year old, dispense a "pea-size" amount of toothpaste and perform or assist your child’s tooth brushing. Remember that young children do not have the ability to brush their teeth effectively by themselves.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Many people are unaware of the dental condition known as baby bottle tooth decay. Serious harm can come to a baby's teeth when bottles filled with juice, milk or formula are allowed to sit in a baby's mouth for long periods of time. Generally this happens when a baby is put to bed with a bottle. If you bottle feed, make sure to remove the bottle when your baby fall asleep. Drinking juice from a bottle should be avoided. Children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age.

Thumb & Finger Sucking

Thumb sucking is perfectly normal for infants, and many children stop by age two. Prolonged thumb sucking can create crooked teeth or bite problems for your child. If the habit continues beyond age three, ask your Sensational Smiles team about ways to address a prolonged thumb sucking habit.

Teething

From six months to age three, your child’s gums may feel tender when teeth erupt. In most children, teething causes increased drooling and a desire to chew on hard things. In some children, teething results in mild pain and irritability and the gums may become swollen and tender. Help your child by vigorously massaging the area for a few minutes and/or let him/her chew on a smooth, hard teething ring or cold wash cloth. While most children do not need teething gels or treatment with Tylenol for pain, you can use these products if necessary.

Flouride for Kids

Tooth decay occurs when plaque — that sticky film of bacteria that accumulates on your teeth — breaks down sugars in food. The bacteria produce damaging acids that dissolve the hard enamel surfaces of teeth. If the damage is not stopped or treated, the bacteria can penetrate through the enamel causing tooth decay (also called cavities). Cavities weaken teeth and can lead to pain, tooth loss, or even widespread infection in the most severe cases.

Fluoride combats tooth decay in two ways. It is incorporated into the structure of developing teeth when it is ingested and also works when it comes in contact with the surface of the teeth. Fluoride prevents the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving tooth enamel -- the hard and shiny substance that protects the teeth. Fluoride also allows teeth damaged by acid to repair, or re-mineralize, themselves. Fluoride cannot repair cavities, but it can reverse low levels of tooth decay and thus prevent new cavities from forming.
Despite the good news about dental health, tooth decay remains one of the most common diseases of childhood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one quarter of 2- to 5-year-olds and half of kids 12 to 15 years old have one or more cavities, and tooth decay has affected two thirds of 16- to 19-year-olds
By visiting our pediatric dentists in Sioux Falls SD, you can find out the adequate amount of fluoride that is needed for you and your kids.

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