Dentists warn that good dental habits need to begin with baby teeth

Dental caries or tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of children 6 to 11 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and St. Louis Dental Center’s Dr. Poonam Jain says the problem can begin even before kids are losing their baby teeth.

That’s why each February, to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health month, the St. Louis Dental Center, a partnership between A.T. Still University and Affinia Healthcare, offers free Tooth Fairy Care Packages to kids. The packages include a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a fun toy, to give kids tools they can use alongside their parents, with the hope of instilling good dental habits early on. “We realize many children are fearful of a first visit to the dentist, and we aim to get them in the door to experience a warm, welcoming environment,” says Dr. Avanija Reddy.

There’s a common misconception, Dr. Jain says, that because they fall out, tooth decay in baby teeth is not significant. “The truth is that it is a big deal for several different reasons,” she says. First, the risk factors that caused the tooth decay, if not addressed, will continue as the permanent teeth grow in around age 6. Possible outcomes include abscesses caused by the decay or later serious complications. “Those behavioral factors do not change.” One major behavioral factor that leads to tooth decay is the diet. “If those dietary factors persist, there is a very high risk that those children who have decay on their baby teeth will have decay on their permanent teeth.”

While diet is critical in controlling tooth decay in children, Dr. Jain also points to hygiene: “We have believed that it doesn’t matter if you eat, as long as you go and brush your teeth later, and that is simply not true. You’re not going to be brushing after every single snack or every single instance of taking a sip or sugary beverage.”

The other big issue is when the decay in a baby tooth goes deep and then causes an abscess associated with the root of the tooth, that can cause serious problems, systemic complications.

One of the best habits that kids can pick up? “Healthy snacking and healthy beverages,” Dr. Jain says. “We forget that the added sugars or the sugar substitutes or the acids that are in these package products are not healthy at all.” Second, develop a daily routine around oral hygiene, whether that consists of brushing teeth and tongue, as a child. When older, add flossing to the routine. “Those habits become habits of the mind—snacking, beverages, daily oral hygiene—and they need to be developed very early on…The mouth is the gateway to the body. Whatever you put in the mouth affects the body twice.”