Where Kids Love Their Dentists...

**For the Parents!**

Here is a great article I found on Children's Oral Health..happy reading:)

Tooth decay (dental caries) affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease. Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infections that may lead to problems; such as eating, speaking, playing, and learning.
The good news is that tooth decay and other oral diseases that can affect children are preventable. The combination of dental sealants and fluoride has the potential to nearly eliminate tooth decay in school-age children.
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do
Here are some things you can do to ensure good oral health for your child:
Encourage your children to eat regular nutritious meals and avoid frequent between-meal snacking.
Protect your child’s teeth with fluoride.
Use a fluoride toothpaste. If your child is less than 7 years old, put only a pea-sized amount on their toothbrush.
If your drinking water is not fluoridated, talk to a dentist or physician about the best way to protect your child’s teeth.
Talk to your child’s dentist about dental sealants. They protect teeth from decay.
If you are pregnant, get prenatal care and eat a healthy diet. The diet should include folic acid to prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord and possibly cleft lip/palate.
Check out the following Web sites for more tips on children’s oral health:
Children’s Oral Health-Surgeon General Fact Sheet. You will learn quick oral health facts and find information on other ways to protect your child’s oral health.
Infant Formula and Fluoridated Water. This page answers frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about mixing infant formula with fluoridated water.
Brush Up on Healthy Teeth. This is a health education campaign including a Brush Up Quiz for Parents, Tip Sheet, and Poster. En espanõl.
Related Links
Oral Health for Kids Health-e-Card
Oral Health and Pregnancy
Oral Health and Learning* (PDF–81KB)
The Community Guide/Oral Health*
Dental Amalgam Use and Benefits
Fact Sheets and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Children’s Oral Health Journal Articles and Publications
School-Based Dental Sealants
Community Water Fluoridation
My Water’s Fluoride
National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS)
One or more documents on this Web page is available in Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.
* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
Page last modified: December 15, 2009Page last reviewed: December 15, 2009 Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion