"SMILE"
AND SEE YOUR DENTIST, SAYS DELTA DENTAL
PARSIPPANY, NJ --
They’ve bought the backpacks,
binders and books. But parents of school-age
children may have one more "to do" on
their back-to-school list: schedule an appointment
with your child’s dentist.
The start of the new
school year is an ideal time to schedule your
child's dental checkup, according to D. Scott
Navarro, D.D.S., vice president, Professional
Services, and Dental Director of Delta Dental
Plan of New Jersey, Inc. "Once
parents and children get into their daily routine
and caught up in the activity that a new school
year brings, it's easy to forget to schedule
a dental checkup," Dr. Navarro said. "If
your child hasn't had a checkup in the past six
months, then a trip to the dentist should be
included in your child’s after-school activities."
To help your child
get "good marks" at
the dentist, Dr. Navarro offers the following
advice to parents:
-
Encourage your
child to drink fluoridated tap water. While
premium-labeled bottled water continues
to be a popular thirst-quencher, it does
not meet people’s, especially
children’s, daily needs of fluoride,
an additive that helps prevent tooth decay.
-
Choose foods for your child that do not
contain a lot of sugar.
-
Give your child fruits, vegetables, nuts,
sugarless gelatin desserts or cheese to snack
on instead of candy and cookies.
-
Give your child limited amounts of chewy
cereal, raisins, caramels, or other sticky
foods.
-
Soft drinks wear away tooth enamel. If you
do let your child drink soft drinks, encourage
him/her to use a straw; it reduces exposure
to teeth.
-
For young siblings at home, do not put your
baby to bed with a bottle. Milk, formula,
juice, and other sweet drinks can cause baby
bottle tooth decay.
-
And, of course, brush for one minute or
more at least twice daily -- after breakfast
and before bedtime (and, if possible, after
sugary snacks) -- and floss every night.
Also, parents should
be advised that overusing toothpaste and brushing
too hard are common pitfalls among younger
children. Habitually swallowing toothpaste
can lead to a condition known as fluorosis,
in which spots caused by too much toothpaste
may appear on the teeth. Brushing too hard can
push up the gums and pose problems in preventing
tooth decay. (Since tooth decay occurs faster
in children, parents need to take precautions
to protect their youngsters’ beautiful
smiles.)
The best advice, says
Navarro, is for parents to supervise and correct
their children’s
dental health habits. Parents with children under
six years of age should brush their child’s
teeth because young children lack the manual
dexterity required to brush teeth effectively.
To make toothbrushing easy and enjoyable, here
are some pointers:
-
Provide a "step-up stand" that
allows the child to look over the sink counter.
-
Allow the child to choose his/her toothbrush,
especially for colors and/or themes.
-
Select a toothbrush
that has soft bristles – a
hard toothbrush can cause gums to bleed.
-
Remind your child
to use a "pea-size" amount
of toothpaste, and always spit out toothpaste
while brushing.
-
Floss your child’s teeth every night – children
lack the dexterity to floss properly.
-
Tell your child, "Don’t rush
when you brush."
To keep him or her brushing for at least
one minute, sing a song or play a favorite
tape.
-
If your child refuses to brush, encourage
him/her to at least rinse the mouth with
water.
"Following these helpful tips will help
parents promote and foster healthy dental care
for the whole family and also make brushing and
flossing a fun routine," added Dr. Navarro.
Delta Dental Plan
of New Jersey, Inc., is the state’s
leading and largest dental benefits carrier,
providing coverage to more than one million
people in New Jersey and Connecticut. The
Delta Dental Plan system is a national network
of independently operated, not-for-profit
dental service corporations specializing
in providing dental benefits programs for
employee groups throughout the country.
Delta Dental Plans Association,
based in Oakbrook, IL, is a national network
of independent not-for-profit dental service
corporations specializing in providing dental
benefits programs to 28 million Americans in
more than 31,000 employee groups throughout
the country.
