Prevention of Tooth Decay |
pediatric dentistry |
Pediatric dentists advise parents that regular dental care should begin by one year of age. Your pediatric dentist will discuss a program of preventive home care including brushing, flossing, diet control, and the importance of fluorides. He/she will address early childhood caries (i.e. baby bottle tooth decay, nursing caries) as it relates to your child. A child who either sleeps with a bottle or who nurses frequently can develop a type of decay that attacks the teeth quite rapidly. The upper front teeth and then the upper and lower back teeth decay rapidly and all of the baby teeth may be destroyed if the condition is not detected and corrected.
To prevent "nursing caries", pediatric dentists recommend that a child be weaned by approximately 12 months of age.
