Children's teeth are the most susceptible to cavities during the first two years after their eruption!

    The front four teeth usually erupt first around the age of 6 months. Most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth by the time they are three years old.  Baby teeth are just as important as permanent teeth---for speaking, chewing, appearance and to hold space for permanent teeth.

New recommendation by American Academy of Pediatrics and Academy of General Dentistry: Infants who are at high risk for tooth decay should see their family dentist between 6-12 months.***

Dental caries are transmitted vertically from mother to child!

Children with tooth decay in their primary dentition are nearly three times more likely to have decay in their permanent teeth.

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Trying following these tips for good dental health:

CDC released a report in May showing that, while Americans of all ages continue to experience improved oral health, the rate of tooth decay increased among children aged 2-5 from 24% to 28% over approximately 10 years between 1994 and 2004. The report, "Trends in Oral Health Status: United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004," noted several racial and ethnic disparities. Thirty-one percent of Mexican American children aged 6 to 11 had experienced decay in their permanent teeth, compared with 19% of non-Hispanic white children. There were also disparities along economic lines. Three times as many children aged 6-11 (12%) from families with incomes below the federal poverty line had untreated tooth decay, compared with children from families with incomes above poverty (4%). ADA org 5/07
 

Amoxicillin and tooth enamel defects

Dental fluorosis, a result of exposure to excessive fluoride during enamel formation,  is one of the most common defects seen in permanent teeth.  The clinical signs range from barely noticeable white flecks, to pits and brown stains.  Amoxicillin is one of the most common antibiotics used among pediatric patients, mainly for treatment of otitis media---infection  of the middle ear.   A recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine linked the use of amoxicillin with the presence of fluorosis in permanent teeth. 

The use of amoxicillin during early infancy showed a strong correlation with fluorosis defects on the permanent teeth that come in earliest---the six year molars and the two front teeth.  The longer a child used the amoxicillin , the greater the risk that dental fluorosis would develop.

Amoxicillin use from three to six months doubled the risk of dental fluorosis. Doctors have more choices in the treatment of pediatric ear infections. If you have an infant will certainly want to discuss this issue with your child’s pediatrician.
 

Childhood Obesity + Pediatric Dentistry

About 15% of children and adolescents ages 6-19 are obese. Pediatric dentists have an important role in fighting the rapid increase in childhood obesity. They must also heighten their staff's awareness by relying on the recently adopted American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Policy on Dietary Recommendations for Infants, Children and Adolescents. The policy suggests that "the first three years of life may lay the groundwork for obesity," and that dentists bear responsibility for educating parents.
(Source: July/Aug 2005 Pediatric Dentistry) Author: William F. Vann, Jr, Thomas J. Bouwens, Antonio S.  Braithwaite, Jessica Y. Lee
Title: The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: A Role for Pediatric Dentists

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Infant Antibiotic Use Linked To Later Dental Problems

Infants who are given the antibiotic amoxicillin are at an increased risk of dental problems later in life, University of Iowa researcherssuggest. Amoxicillin is one of the most common antibiotics used among children, for conditions such as middle ear infections.

The BBC reports that the researchers say the drug appears to be linked to enamel damage in permanent teeth. Enamel defects can showclinical signs ranging from barely noticeable white flecks, to pits and brown stains.

The study found that the more children took the drug, the more teeth were affected, but a UK expert said it was more likely the diseases themselves had caused the damage, rather than the drug. The researchers followed 579 infants from birth until they were 32 months old, using questionnaires every three to four months to gather information on fluoride intake and amoxicillin use.

By the age of one, three-quarters of the subjects had used amoxicillin. By 32 months, 91% had used amoxicillin. It was found that amoxicillin use from three to six months doubled the risk of dental fluorosis. This condition is usually linked to exposure toexcess levels of fluoride in which the normal maturation of dental enamel is blocked due to disruption of the ameloblasts - the cellswhich produce the enamel.

Writing in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, the team led by Dr Liang Hong, said, `The results of our study show that amoxicillin use during early infancy seems to be linked to dental fluorosis on both permanent first molars and maxillary central incisors. Duration of amoxicillin use was related to the number of early-erupting permanent teeth with fluorosis.'

`Amoxicillin use in infancy could carry some heretofore undocumented risk to the developing teeth. While the results of this one study do not warrant recommendations to cease use of amoxicillin early in life, they do further highlight the need to use antibiotics judiciously, particularly during infancy.'

Dr Paula Waterhouse, a dental paediatrician at the University of Newcastle, took issue with the research findings. She said research had shown that problems with enamel maturation were more likely in children who suffer from infections. She told the BBC News website, `My feeling is that despite in-depth statistical analyses it is likely to be the illness itself which is causing the developmental defects in enamel.'

Monday 3rd October 2005 cited smile-on.com

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http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/sids_otitis.htm Great website on ear infections and SIDS

Cavity prevention tips for pre-school age children
 

Providing proper care and oral hygiene during preschool years can mean a lifetime of good oral health,  Children who develop cavities in their baby teeth are more likely to develop cavities as an adult. So how can a parent determine if their child is at risk for cavities? It all begins with that first trip to the dentist.

The first dental visit should include an exam to determine if the child is at low, moderate or high risk for cavities and will help decide which oral hygiene program best suits them. The dentist will be able to explain to the parent how often the child should be brushing as well as provide flossing instructions for the child.

Brushing should begin when the first tooth erupts and parents should be in charge of a child's brushing until the child is able to tie his or her shoes or write their own name clearly-usually five or six years of age.  Children whose parents are prone to cavities and tooth decay need to be extra careful because of genetic predisposition to tooth decay.

Children at high risk for cavities should be discouraged from eating starchy snacks such as crackers and chips. In fact, one good way to determine if a snack is good for a child is to check their teeth 20 minutes after consumption. If the teeth are still filled with food, the snack should be discontinued.

Regardless of what food is eaten, regular efforts have to be made to clean the teeth before decay can begin. This means things like brushing, flossing, rinsing after snacks and using non-sugary beverages in bottles or sippy cups. Even if your child is not at risk, it is always good to routine dental check-ups and to limit your child's intake of sugary foods.Essentially all children are at risk to some extent or another, so the same basic principles apply-control of exposure of cavity-inducing food and through cleaning of the teeth. Even if decay is a low risk for an individual child they can still develop gingivitis or other problems if home care is inadequate.

 January/February issue of General Dentistry, clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD)2005
 

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Toymaker Hasbro Inc. plans to turn jawbones into headphones to try to tune out tooth decay.

The company announced Friday it's launching ''Tooth Tunes,'' a toothbrush that transmits music through the jawbone to the ear when its bristles touch teeth.

The battery-operated toothbrush contains a tiny microchip that stores the song. When the user presses a button and starts brushing, sound vibrations pass through the tooth, to the jawbone and into the inner ear. The song plays for two minutes, the amount of time dentists recommend people spend brushing their teeth.

The Pawtucket-based company will offer the product, priced under $10, starting in September nationwide.

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Dental caries: a transmissible bacterial infection

According to Kathy Phipps, PhD, under normal circumstances of diet and challenge, children become permanently colonized with mutans streptococci between the middle of the second year and the end of the third year of life, during a  window of infectivity. Despite a long-held belief that mutans streptococci require teeth for persistent oral colonization, recent studies have demonstrated that the bacteria can colonize the mouths of  infants who have no teeth, particularly in the furrows of the tongue. The primary sources of caries-causing bacteria in infants are their mothers. The higher the level of maternal mutans streptococcal infection, the higher the percentage of children who become infected.  By shifting the focus to the bacterial nature of the disease, we will be able to more effectively prevent and treat dental caries. UDA Action, newsletter of the Utah Dental Association, May/June 2004

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Caries in Primary Teeth Predict Future Decay

 Children with tooth decay in their primary dentition are nearly three times more likely to have decay in their permanent teeth, according to an eight-year study conducted in China. In 362 Chinese children age 3 to 5 years at the time of the 1992 baseline study, 85 percent who had had caries in their primary molars showed at least one decayed permanent tooth in a follow-up examination in 2000. In contrast, 83 percent of the children who exhibited no caries in their primary teeth remained decay-free until at least age 12. The authors of the study suggest that children with caries in their primary dentition should be considered high-risk cases for decay in permanent teeth, increasing the importance of dental sealants and fluoride treatments for decay prevention. The recommendation is consistent with a recent recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and  The results of the Chinese study were published in the August 2002 issue of the Journal of Dental Research.

Fluoride Toothpaste Significantly Reduces Childhood Cavities

A review of 50 years of clinical trails (74 studies involving more than 42,000 children under the age of 16)  firmly establishes that in children brushing with toothpaste containing fluoride results in 24% less cavities than does brushing with non fluoridated toothpaste.  This study conferred:

Fluoride Toothpaste Significantly Reduces Childhood Cavities, pg 44, Dentistry Today 2/03

 Child's First Dental Visit Two Years Too Late+
    A survey of U.S. expectant mothers, mothers and primary caregivers reveals that nearly 70% of children begin receiving dental care two years later than the age recommended by pediatric dental experts.

     On average, children first visit a dentist at age three. Dental experts recommend that initial visits occur between the ages of six months and one year, or when the first tooth appears.