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smiles
RAISING HEALTHY SMILES! by Dr. John F. Miller DDS
Motherhood. What do I know about it, right? Very
little I’m sure, but...I’ve had some great examples in
my life. Naturally my own mother has had a major
influence thus far; and more recently my wife as she is approaching the maternal 7 year mark. My wife
of course is a woman, so we discuss everything that
is on her mind. This happens most nights as we lie in bed gleaning every second of the only quiet moment
we get to spend together. From these conversations, I
have gathered insight enough to describe the life of a Mother as a Shakespearian roller coaster.
Tragedy, comedy, future imaginary neighbor boys who are off limits...our daughter is only 6. Some readers are laughing to themselves right now. “Six years old? This guy better buckle up!” These readers are on a whole different ride that my wife and I would not meet the height requirement for...not that we’d want to ride quite yet anyway. What I’m getting at is raising children, along with life in general, is a Comedy of Errors.
406
According to an old African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. This village consists of relatives, neighbors, school teachers, coaches, employers, etc. We all know this is true, and you’ll find yourself thinking of your unique in-
WOMAN 64
dividual villages this very moment. I think of the villagers that I make time to call upon when I have the chance to return to my hometown. The Dental Office was part of my village, and you will be doing yourself and your children a great favor in making the Dentist a consistent component of your family village. The remainder of this column will address contemporary dental care for children, and the responsibility we have as parent’s in maintaining the oral health of our kids.
Newborns
Babies are born devoid of the oral bacteria which cause tooth decay, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus. This bacteria can be transferred from mother to infant (Vertical Transmission), or even from sibling to infant (Horizontal Transmission). To prevent this transmission for as long as possible, make sure all items placed in the baby’s mouth are clean. This is especially important if the mother is prone to tooth decay and/or has active gum disease (a.k.a. periodontal disease). To be honest with the readers of 406, I’m terrible at this. My family and I share ice cream cones, straws, etc., but I try my best. Ultimately, colonization of these oral bacteria, at some level or another, is inevitable. Therefore, it is my opinion that you will wage a better fight by taking the approach that the best offense is a killer defense.
Infants on average are toothless for the first six months of their life. Their gums should still be cleansed with a soft toothbrush or a wipe of some sort. This functions to not only clean junior’s mouth but to also initiate “healthy-habit” development. In addition, make sure the little one is present when you take care of your own mouth; make it a family event. Maxwell, my youngest, watched me brush and floss Nayvee and Banksy’s teeth every night. The result was a stubborn urge to have a toothbrush in his own, toothless mouth. Now, just days passed his 1st birthday, he offers no resistance to my brushing of his 6 front teeth. In fact, he is upset when I’m done.
Baby Teeth Stage (1 to 6)
Somewhere between 6 months and 1 year, a baby’s first tooth appears. Nature has provided us with this wonderful dress rehearsal that lasts until approximately 6 years of age. This is our chance as caregivers, to miss cues, jumble lines, and ultimately polish our technique and perfect our delivery. It is recommended that children be seen in the dental office at approximately one year. This initial appointment is important for the new mother to be educated in infant oral health care and again to aid in the child’s healthy habits. During these visits the child’s teeth are not my main concern. We want to introduce a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere to the