Lawrence Lizzack DMD

Description

Diet A healthy diet is a balanced diet that “naturally ” supplies all the nutrients your child needs to grow. A balanced diet is one that includes the following major food groups: Fruits and Vegetables/Breads and Cereals/Milk and Dairy Products/Meat, Fish and Eggs. Children must have a balanced diet for their teeth to develop properly. They also need a balanced diet for healthy gum tissue around the teeth. Food that contains sugar or starch may cause tooth decay. Therefore, it is important to select and serve them wisely. Fruits, a few vegetables, and most milk products have at least one type of sugar. Foods with starch include breads, crackers, pasta and snacks, such as pretzels and potato chips. You should not restrict “all ” foods with sugar or starch because many provide nutrients your child needs. A food with sugar or starch is safer for teeth if it is eaten with a meal, not as a snack. Sticky foods, such as dried fruit or toffee, are not easily washed away from the teeth by saliva, water or milk. Therefore, they have more cavity-causing potential than foods more rapidly cleared from the teeth. Gum Encourage sugar-free chewing gum. Look for sugar-free chewing gum that contains “xylitol. ” Xylitol is a sugar substitute that can “not ” be used by bacteria to produce tooth decay. Studies are showing that xylitol containing gum can actually decrease the risk of tooth decay. Many companies such as Trident and Dentyne are using xylitol and mentioning it on its label. Baby bottle By age 1, discourage extended and repetitive use of the baby bottle (especially at bedtime) unless it contains only water. This is because the teeth are beginning to erupt and you don ’t want the teeth to be bathing in such liquids for long duration. Begin teaching your child to drink from a cup by 6 months of age. Sippy cup Same rules apply as mentioned regarding the baby bottle. Sucking fingers, pacifier, or other object Such habits can be considered normal behavior in infants and young children. Tooth and jaw growth can be affected by these habits depending upon the frequency, intensity, direction, and duration of action. The result of these affects can be open-bite, cross-bite, and narrowing of the jaw. Ideally, you should wean your child off these habits as early as possible. If these habits persist beyond age 3, professional evaluation is highly recommended. Brushing teeth (infant) Start brushing your child ’s teeth as soon as they appear (around 6 months of age.) All teeth are susceptible to decay once they erupt in the mouth. Use a child-sized toothbrush with only a smear-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. You don ’t want the child to swallow significant amounts of fluoride toothpaste because it can lead to fluorosis of the teeth. Fluorosis of the teeth is when the teeth get white or brown spots on them due to excess fluoride. It is ok to use non-fluoridated toothpaste at this stage. Signs of a healthy mouth include pink gums, white teeth, and no mouth sores. Brushing teeth (early childhood) Increase fluoride toothpaste to pea-sized amount as your child learns to spit after brushing.

Products & services

Similar companies nearby