National Children's Dental Health Month

February is National Children's Dental Health Month and we asked Dr. Nicole Dahlkemper of Water's Edge Family Dentistry for advice on what protective measures and care parents can take to ensure healthy teeth. Pediatric dental disease (cavities) is the #1 chronic childhood illness in America, five times more common than asthma. "The importance of children's dental health is often overlooked. Establishing good dental habits at an early age will prevent major problems in the future," explains Dr. Dahlkemper.  

Did you know that children miss over 51 million hours of school each year due to dental-related complications?  It affects more than 4 million children on any given day with pain so severe they have trouble eating, sleeping and learning. To prevent these issues from occurring to your child Dr. Dahlkemper recommends:

    •    Eat plenty of healthy, tooth-friendly snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, cheese and yogurt.
    •    Avoid starchy and sticky snacks that can cling to teeth and cause decay.
    •    Brush and floss your teeth twice a day and visit your dentist every 6 months for preventative visits.
    •    Brush and floss your child’s teeth twice a day.
    •    Do not give your child juice or milk before bed, instead substitute it with water.
    •    Use orthodontic approved pacifiers and bottle nipples to allow proper arch development (ex. Nuk® pacifiers).
    •    Schedule your child for their initial dental check-up by the time they have their first tooth (preferably before the child’s 1st birthday) to ensure proper development.
    •    In general, teeth brushing should last a minimum of 1 minute for children and teenagers should be brushing for 2 minutes.
    •    Electronic toothbrushes with small brush heads are recommended, such as the Oral B Vitality, to get to the hard-to-reach back molar teeth.
    •    Soft toothbrushes are recommended, unless otherwise informed by the dentist.

Studies indicate dental expenses for children who have their first dental visit within 12 months of birth are 40% lower in the first 5 years than those who do not see a dentist before their first birthday.  It is also necessary to keep baby teeth healthy because they play an important role in proper chewing, speech development, good nutrition and maintenance of space for eventual eruption of permanent teeth. Pulling baby teeth without proper space maintaining appliances can cause development issues in a child’s mouth when the permanent teeth are not fully formed. Make your child's appointment with a dentist today!

Dr. Nicole Dahlkemper graduated with her DMD from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio and received her fellowship from the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI), the world's premier postgraduate teaching facility, specializing in cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the South Carolina Dental Association and American Academy of General Dentistry and volunteers her time at the East Cooper Community Outreach Dental Clinic.