When it comes to their kids' teeth and a new school year, it's the parents who need to remember their ABCs: Awareness, Brushing and Check-ups -- these are the foundations of oral health for kids.
Parents need to be more aware of the impact of oral health, say experts: A recent study conducted by Listerine, a mouthwash product, surprisingly revealed that only four out of 10 parents recognize that childhood cavities have an affect on adult teeth.
"Any thought that baby teeth aren't important can compromise a child's future health," says Dr. Don Friedlander, an Ottawa dentist.
Healthy baby teeth are essential for kids to eat properly and to help with their speech development. Premature loss of baby teeth can lead to improper growth and crowding.
The root system from baby teeth helps to guide adult teeth. Damage from cavities can mean the adult teeth are also at risk. Tooth decay can negatively affect a child's ability to eat, sleep, and do schoolwork. Dentists say that parents should take their child to the dentist within six months of the eruption of the first tooth.
An awareness of children's oral health is vitally important, say experts.
"Parents today have more questions, smarter questions when they bring their children in. And they are becoming better informed," says Friedlander, who is also president of the Canadian Dental Association.
A new school year is a good time for parents to take the lead when it comes to their kids' teeth. Oral health includes overall health, says Friedlander. Parents need to be aware of the importance of all round nutrition when it comes to their kids' diets.
"We are understanding how the mouth is a window into the rest of the body and how oral health relates to general health," he explains. "Attention has to be paid to proper nutrition -- good bone growth and soft oral tissue health depends on it. It's not only about milk but also about all round nutrition as per Canada's Food Guide."
With school beginning this week, it's unlikely many little kids will be packing a toothbrush in their Spiderman lunch pails. But Friedlander recommends that they do.
"Dentistry is all about prevention and the earlier kids can begin to take responsibility for their oral health the better," he says, adding that his two daughters carry toothbrushes in their backpacks.
Flossing is also to be encouraged, though kids have to be committed to the process and have the dexterity to do it. Part of good oral health care means regular dental check-ups.
It isn't just about finding cavities, says Friedlander. "We are the doctors of the mouth. An overall physical check-up means above the neck and below the eyes. We check the functional aspect -- how the teeth fit together and how the joints move.
"We look at the gums and the support structure -- how healthy are they? And we look at the health of the teeth as well by checking for decay."
According to the Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children who consume sugary foods and liquids such as milk and fruit juices for prolonged periods of time without brushing are at a greater risk for developing cavities.
Even pre-school kids need to see a dentist regularly. Such visits can help parents evaluate the cleaning they may be doing at home and can allow dentists to diagnose and fix problems before oral health is compromised. Regular visits also help children to learn that going to the dentist helps prevent problems, says Friedlander.
Prevention is a success story for dentistry, he adds: "We can teach the rest of the health professions how well prevention can work. The key to long term oral health is preventing the problems before they start."
