BINGHAM FARMS, Michigan — Because the Smile Creator, Dr. Timothy Kosinski, DDS, believes that “Smiles Are For All Generations” he especially places stress on dental care for babies.
While pediatricians do a wonderful job helping parents raise healthy babies, many parents are not informed about oral care for a child, even before that first tooth arrives.
Dental care for children is so important that it should begin before babies cut their first tooth. After each feeding, the baby’s mouth should be cleaned with a clean washcloth or a gauze pad, slightly moistened with water to wipe away visible plaque.
After the first teeth break through, use a soft toothbrush and water to remove plaque around the neck of the teeth. Do not use toothpaste until a dentist recommends the amount and type to use.
Allowing a baby to sleep with a bottle filled with sugared liquids, including milk and formula, can cause severe tooth decay. For bottle use between meals, the bottle should be filled only with water.
Dr. Kosinski recommends that the first visit to the dentist be scheduled as soon as the first tooth breaks through. “We know much more about caring for an infant’s oral needs and want to share that information with parents as soon as possible,” he stresses.
Within six months to a year after the first tooth breaks through, sealants can be placed on the child’s teeth during regular dental checkups or cleanings to seal out tooth decay.
To protect tooth enamel from acids, it is important for a child to receive an adequate amount of fluoride through drinking water and a fluoride toothpaste.
Every time a child or adult eats, acid attacks the tooth enamel for at least 20 minutes. A daylong acid attack is produced whenever a child snacks on food high in sugar. The Smile Creator can provide delicious snack and meal suggestions to keep a child’s teeth in good health.
While sucking is natural for a baby, prolonged sucking on a thumb, pacifier or other object can cause dental problems including a change in the shape of the mouth and alignment of teeth. For that reason, an infant should stop thumb sucking between the ages of 2-4. Finger and thumb sucking habits are harder to break than pacifier habits.
While primary teeth are eventually lost, the early or premature loss of these teeth can cause serious dental problems later in life. Primary teeth are needed to chew food properly, to learn to speak clearly, and to reserve space in the growing jaw so permanent teeth can come through.
When a tooth is knocked out the child should be taken to the dentist within the hour. Do not attempt to scrub or clean the tooth in any way but place it in milk or a saline solution. “The faster you get care the better the chances are of saving the tooth,” stresses Dr. Kosinski. “Permanent teeth can be re-implanted, but not baby teeth. If you are not sure what kind of tooth has been knocked out, check with your dentist.”
Actually dental care for children begins during pregnancy. Dr. Kosinski points out that a pregnant mother’s diet, oral hygiene habits and hormone levels all can protect the dental health of the baby.
For more information about Dr. Kosinski or SmileCreator go to www.smilecreator.net, call 248-646-8651 or send an email query to allquestions@smilecreator.net. SmileCreator is located at 31000 Telegraph Rd., Suite 170, Bingham Farms, MI 48025.
About Dr. Timothy Kosinski: He has practiced general and implant dentistry for 20 years. A graduate of University of Detroit Dental School, he completed comprehensive implant training at Harvard. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry, The International Congress of Oral Implantologists and the American Society of Osseointegration. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and most recently received his Mastership in the AGD in Anaheim this year. Dr. Kosinski has been inducted into the American and International Colleges of Dentists and the Academy of Dentistry International. Dr. Kosinski was selected the Best Dentist in America by his peers in 2004-2005.