The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD) suggests that parents should make an initial “well-baby” appointment with a dentist approximately six months after the emergence of the first tooth, or no later than the child’s first birthday.

Although this may seem surprisingly early, the incidence of infant and toddler tooth decay has been rising in recent years.  Tooth decay and early cavities can be exceptionally painful if they are not attended to immediately, and can also set the scene for poor oral health in later childhood.

Oftentimes, Dr. Theisen can provide strategies for eliminating unwanted oral habits (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking) and can also help parents in establishing a sound daily oral routine for the child.

What potential dental problems can babies experience?

A baby is at risk for tooth decay as soon as the first tooth emerges.  During the first visit, Dr. Theisen will help parents implement a preventative strategy to protect the teeth from harm, and also demonstrate how infant teeth should be brushed.

In particular, infants who drink breast milk, juice, baby formula, soda, or sweetened water from a baby bottle or sippy cup are at high-risk for early childhood caries (cavities).  To counteract this threat, Dr. Theisen discourages parents from filling cups with sugary fluids, dipping pacifiers in honey, and transmitting oral bacteria to the child via shared spoons and/or cleaning pacifiers in their own mouths.

Importantly, Dr. Theisen can also assess and balance the infant’s fluoride intake.  Too much fluoride ingestion between the ages of one and four years old may lead to a condition known as fluorosis in later childhood.  Conversely, too little fluoride may render young tooth enamel susceptible to tooth decay.

What happens during the first visit?

During the initial visit, Dr. Theisen will advise parents to implement a good oral care routine, ask questions about the child’s oral habits, and examine the child’s emerging teeth.  Dr. Theisen and parent sit knee-to-knee for this examination to enable the child to view the parent at all times.  If the infant’s teeth appear stained,  Dr. Theisen may clean them.  Oftentimes, a topical fluoride treatment will be applied to the teeth after this cleaning.  All dental personnel are fully trained to communicate with infants and young children.

Questions we may ask during the first visit

Dr. Theisen will ask questions about current oral care, diet, the general health of the child, the child’s oral habits, and the child’s current fluoride intake.

Once answers to these questions have been established, Dr. Theisen can advise parents on the following issues:

• Accident prevention
• Adding xylitol and fluoride to the infant’s diet
• Choosing an ADA approved, non-fluoridated brand of toothpaste for the infant
• Choosing an appropriate toothbrush
• Choosing an orthodontically correct pacifier
• Correct positioning of the head during tooth brushing
• Easing the transition from sippy cup to adult-sized drinking glasses (12-14 months)
• Eliminating fussing during the oral care routine
• Establishing a drink-free bedtime routine
• Maintaining good dietary habits
• Minimizing the risk of tooth decay
• Reducing sugar and carbohydrate intake
• Teething and developmental milestones