Primary teeth are important! It is true that they will fall out, but baby teeth should remain in place until they are naturally lost. Baby teeth beside their role of food chewing, they act as guides and natural space maintainer for the adult teeth position. Early loss of baby teeth can result in crowded, crooked permanent teeth. They have nerves just like the adult teeth. If decay is allowed to progress rapidly, kids will feel pain or discomfort just like the adult teeth. The general guideline is that front baby teeth fall out around age six, and primary molars (back teeth) usually fall out around age twelve. Healthy teeth allow children to chew food more easily, learn to speak clearly, and smile with confidence. For this reason, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene for our beloved children.

Healthy teeth save time and money. Good oral health means less extensive and less expensive treatment for your child. A healthy mouth is attractive and can help children form a positive self-image. A bright smile can help win the confidence of peers and teachers. Children with healthy mouths have a better chance of general health because disease in the mouth can endanger the rest of the body. Consequences of early childhood caries include insufficient physical development especially height and weight.

When Can you See your Baby’s Teeth
We don’t usually think of a newborn as having teeth. However, at birth the crowns of the 20 “baby” or primary teeth are almost completely formed, and they are hidden from view in an infant’s jawbones. The primary teeth gradually erupt through the gums during the first 2½ - 3 years of life. There is a wide range of variability of when a first tooth may appear—some babies may not have any teeth by their first birthday! Around 3 months of age, babies will begin exploring the world with their mouth and have increased saliva and start to put their hands in their mouth. Many parents question whether or not this means that their baby is teething, but a first tooth usually appears around 6 months old. Typically, the first teeth to come in are almost always the lower front teeth (the lower central incisors). Next to follow will be the four upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby's teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 ½ - 3 years old. Shortly after age 4, the jaw and facial bones of the child begin to grow, creating spaces between the primary teeth. This is a perfectly natural growth process that provides the necessary space for the larger permanent teeth to emerge starting at about the age of 6. Primary teeth begin to shed between ages 6 and 7 years Between the ages of 6 and 12, a mixture of both primary teeth and permanent teeth reside in the mouth. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don't. Don't worry if some teeth are a few months early or late. All children are different.

What Happens During Teething?
Although timing varies widely, babies often begin teething by about the age of 6 months. Classic signs of teething include:
• Excessive saliva “drooling”
• Chewing on objects
• Irritability or crankiness
• Sore or tender gums
• Slight increase in temperature — but no fever
• Refusal to feed and reduced apetite
• Crying
• Teething rash
• Pulling of ears and rubbing of chin and cheeks
• Disturbances in sleep
• Teething may be accompanied by fever and diarrhea


What's the Best Way to Soothe Painful Teething Gums?
If your teething baby seems uncomfortable, consider these tips:
• Rub your baby's gums. Use a clean finger or wet gauze to rub your baby's gums. The pressure can ease your baby's discomfort.

• Keep it cool. A cold spoon or chilled — not frozen — teething ring can be soo thing on a baby's gums. To avoid cavities, don't dip these items in sugary substances.

• Try an over-the-counter remedy. If your baby is especially cranky, consider giving him or her infants' or children's over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, others).

To keep your baby safe, Avoid using:
• Over-the-counter remedies, including homeopathic teething tablets. The benefits of topical gels and teething tablets haven't been demonstrated. In recent years, lab analysis of some homeopathic remedies found greater amounts than labeled of the ingredient belladonna, which can cause seizures and difficulty breathing.

• Teething medications containing benzocaine or lidocaine. These pain relievers can be harmful — even fatal — to your baby.

• Teething necklaces, bracelets or anklets. These items pose a risk of choking, strangulation, mouth injury and infection. These should be only used with parental control and supervision.



Your Child's First Visit
The first "regular" dental visit should be when the first tooth appears or no later than his/her first birthday. This visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. Select an appointment time when your child is alert and rested. Depending on the child’s age, we may ask the parent to sit in the dental chair and hold their child during the examination. The parent may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and our specialist.

We will gently examine your child's mouth, teeth, gums, discuss diet/nutrition, proper oral hygiene care, asses fluoride intake, evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking, work on preventing any dental problems that can occur and off course discuss all subjects of concern towards your child’s mouth health . Depending on the age, level of cooperation and oral health of the child we may also take x-rays (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child's permanent teeth under the gums), clean your child's teeth and apply topical fluoride and fissure sealants to help protect the teeth against decay. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth.

First dental visits are mostly educational. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry “AAPD” recommends that every child visit the dentist by the child's first birthday. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend a child visit the dentist by age one as well. This “well baby check” for the teeth can establish a dental home and helps ensure that parents learn the tools they'll need to help their children remain cavity-free.

Give your child some control over the dental visit. Such choices as “Will you hold your bear or should I?” or “Which color toothbrush do you like?” will make the visit more enjoyable. Give center stage to the pediatric dentist. If the pediatric dentist does most of the talking, the pediatric dentist and your child will build a better relationship. The parent and pediatric dentist can talk after the examination.

We are asked this question many times. We suggest you prepare your child the same way that you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child's reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.

• Read books with them about going to the dentist.
• Review with them what the dentist will be doing at the time of the first visit.
• Speak positively about your own dental experiences
• Take your child for a "preview" or online tour of the office.
• Explain before the visit that the dentist is a friend and will help your child keep his teeth healthy.
• Answer all your child’s questions positively. (Keep an ear out for scary stories from peers and siblings.)

We encourage your child to explore their new dental environment! We invite you to be an active part of your child’s dental health. Please do not be upset if your child cries. Children are often afraid of anything new and different, and crying is a normal reaction to that fear. We ask that parents assume the role of a silent observer. We have found that your presence is greatly enhanced if you play a passive role. If more than one person is speaking to the child, they may become confused and overwhelmed. Cooperation and trust must be established directly between our pediatric specialist and dental team and your child – not through the parent repeating everything. We tell children in simple terms what is going to be done. ie: an exam becomes “looking and counting your teeth”. A cleaning becomes “brush and tickle your teeth”. We encourage parents to use these terms when talking to their child about their dental experiences.

If you do as a parent get into the dental operatory with your child, please be considerate of the following;

􀀀 Stand or sit in a location where your child knows you are nearby but cannot see your face. (Even a very young child is totally tuned in to your facial cues. It only takes one worried look to inadvertently upset your child.)

􀀀 Be a silent observer. Let the pediatric dentist build rapport and provide positive coaching for your child.

􀀀 If your child needs physical reassurance, you might consider holding your child’s hand or having your toddler sit on your lap.

Why Fill Baby Teeth When They Fall Out Anyway?
While it is true that baby teeth do eventually come out, it is also true that they are important to a child in the meantime. Primary or baby teeth hold space for the permanent teeth to grow in. If one is lost, the others can shift into the empty space and prevent the permanent tooth from erupting. This often means a crooked smile in a child’s future. In addition, a decayed tooth can become abscessed and cause discomfort for a child. “Tooth decay causes significant pain, loss of school days and may lead to infections and even death.” Left untreated, dental caries can result in a broad range of functional impairments that have far-reaching implications for growth, development, school performance, and peer social relationships. Infection from decayed primary teeth can damage the permanent teeth developing under them.

Tooth-Colored Fillings: Virtually Invisible Treatment for Cavities
Tooth-colored fillings are made from durable plastics called composite resins. Similar in color and texture to natural teeth, the fillings are less noticeable and more attractive than other types of fillings. Your child can smile, talk and eat with confidence. Certain tooth-colored filling materials (such as glass ionomers) even release fluoride, resulting in a tooth that is more resistant to decay. In addition, tooth-colored fillings are compatible with dental sealants. A tooth can be filled and sealed at the same time to provide extra decay protection. Amalgams, the silver-colored fillings you probably got as a child, are still serving children well today. Used for over 100 years, amalgam fillings have been proven safe with patients all over the world. At Dr. Raed M. Abutteen Dental Center, we prefer using non-metal containing fillings and crowns for our patients.

Preformed (Stainless Steel) Crowns: A Cost-Effective Choice for Severe Decay
Our pediatric dentistry specialist may suggest use of a crown for your child? Here are some possible reasons:

 If a cavity is not caught early, the decay can destroy so much of the tooth structure that there is not enough left to support a filling. A crown will save the tooth.

 If a child has a root canal, which will leave the tooth more susceptible to fracture, a crown is recommended.

 A crown can restore a tooth with a developmental defect or a tooth fractured in an accident.

 If a child is at high risk for cavities and compliance with daily oral hygiene is poor, a crown will restore the decay while protecting the remaining surfaces of the tooth.

 If a child’s cooperation is affected by age, behavior or medical condition, a stainless steel crown is likely to last longer and possibly decrease the frequency for sedation or general anesthesia with its increased costs and risks.

 Stainless steel crowns are more cost effective and are the treatment of choice for large areas of decay.

Preformed (stainless steel) crowns have been used over 50 years to save teeth that otherwise would be lost or when other treatments would fail. One of the strongest and most durable services in dentistry, they last longer than fillings and cost less than other types of crowns. Their greatest disadvantage is that stainless steel crowns are not the color of teeth, but the color of polished silver.

The treatment process is the same for stainless steel crowns as for tooth colored crowns. On the plus side, tooth-colored crowns are natural looking and can provide an excellent cosmetic result for your child. On the minus side, they are more expensive, may be less durable, requires more tooth reduction before fitting the tooth-colored crown and may cause more wear to the opposing natural tooth surface.

Does your Child Need a Space Maintainer?
If your child loses a baby tooth prematurely due to decay, extraction, or dental trauma, you may think nothing of it. After all, your child’s baby teeth will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth anyways, so why bother with a prematurely lost baby tooth? While it is certainly true that your child will eventually have a permanent tooth erupt in the space left by a missing baby tooth, it is also true that baby teeth lost too early can cause problems for erupting permanent teeth. For this reason, your child’s pediatric dentist may recommend something called a space maintainer.

A space maintainer is an oral appliance made to “maintain” the space left behind by a missing baby tooth. They are generally made out of metal or acrylic and can either be fixed into the mouth or removable. Fixed space maintainers are cemented into the mouth, while removable space maintainers look similar to orthodontic appliances and may even have an artificial tooth. Their main function is to prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting into the space left by a baby tooth that was lost too soon. Once the permanent tooth begins to erupt, the space maintainer will be removed since it has served its purpose.

There are four different types of space maintainers your child’s pediatric dentist may recommend, such as:

• Unilateral space maintainers are designed to fit on one side of the mouth and wrap around an existing tooth. They also have a metal loop that extends into the space left by a missing tooth in order to preserve this space.

• Crown and loop space maintainers are designed much like a unilateral space maintainer, with the exception that they use a dental crown over the existing tooth rather than wrapping around it.

• Lingual space maintainers are used in cases where there are multiple missing baby teeth. They are cemented to the insides of the molars and then connected to the lower front teeth with a metal wire.

• Distal shoe space maintainers are inserted into the gum line to ensure there is enough space for an erupting permanent tooth. This type of space maintainer is specifically designed for use on the first permanent molar.

Space maintainers are important to your child’s oral health because they prevent a number of complications from occurring. This is because your child’s permanent teeth are directly affected by their primary teeth and if these primary teeth are lost too soon, it tends to cause complications with the permanent teeth. These complications can include some or all of the following:

• A lack of space for the permanent teeth to erupt into
• Increased risk of teeth becoming impacted or erupting improperly
• Overcrowding, overlapping, or crooked permanent teeth
• Speech impediments
• Malocclusion (misaligned bite)
• Increased need for orthodontic treatment later down the line


Luckily, your child will only need to wear their space maintainer for a short period of time until their permanent teeth begin to erupt. In the meantime, however, you will need to help your child care for their space maintainer. In addition to regular brushing and flossing, removable space maintainers will need to be washed with mild dish soap and rinsed with lukewarm water daily.

Fixed space maintainers also require regular brushing, with the possibility of special techniques that your child’s pediatric dentist will explain to you. Additionally, since fixed space maintainers cannot be removed from your child’s mouth, there are certain dietary restrictions they will need to follow. These include avoiding foods that are excessively hard, sticky, chewy, crunchy, or sugary. These foods should be avoided to prevent damage to the appliance, as well as to decrease the risk of tooth decay from food becoming trapped in the appliance. As a final precaution, you will need to explain to your child not to “play” with their space maintainer to prevent it from becoming damaged.

General Anesthesia for Children
Medically speaking, general anesthesia is an induced state of unconsciousness. In practical terms, the patient is asleep and unable to respond to touch or voices. It is often recommended for children with extensive dental needs who cannot tolerate the treatment required to restore their oral health over multiple lengthy visits. For example, if a toddler was suffering from severe early childhood caries and required multiple root canals and crowns, the parents might agree that general anesthesia was the most comfortable and safest way to complete treatment. Or, it may be the treatment of choice for a child with a mental or physical disability for whom a hospital setting provides the safest and best approach to care. All parents should know that children face the same risk under general anesthesia for dental treatment as for any other surgical procedure. The treatment should be provided only by highly qualified health professionals, including pediatric dentists with advanced education and training. Parents should talk openly with their pediatric dentist about the benefits and risks of this treatment option.

Special Needs Patients & Dentistry
Special needs patients can be defined as children or adults with a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition that substantially limits one or more major life activity and who need dental or health services beyond what is generally required. Pediatric dentists are the dental professionals of choice for children with special needs. Their education as specialists focuses on care for children including those with special needs.

Some of the more common conditions that require special care in dentistry include Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epileptic or seizure disorders, vision and hearing impairments, cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial conditions, and learning and developmental disabilities.

People with special needs are very diverse in terms of their oral health. Many people with special needs have the same oral health conditions as the rest of the population. Many others have conditions and disabilities that are associated with an increased risk for various oral health problems. Still other people with special needs begin with normal teeth and oral health, but suffer from more dental disease.

Decades ago, children with certain disabilities would have had little hope of reaching adulthood. Through medical advancements, children with severe health conditions are living longer than ever before. This success has created a new dental care crisis.

As a parent of a child with special needs, you may have concerns about your child’s tolerance of a dental visit. Whatever your concerns, do not postpone preventive dentistry for your child. Pediatric dentists understand that each child is unique and may need extra care to feel comfortable during dental treatment.

Preventive Care for your Child’s Teeth
Tooth decay in childhood is no longer a must. At our office, we are most concerned with all aspects of preventive care. This includes;

• Use of fissure sealants to protect your child's teeth. Sealants are plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay prone back teeth. These will release fluoride and prevent food stagnation at the surfaces minimizing the risk of decay onset or can sometimes arrest caries at its beginning. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child's lifetime of good oral health.

Studies show that pit and fissure decay accounts for 80 to 90 percent of cavities in permanent back teeth and 44 percent in baby teeth. Since these are the areas that sealants protect, it is easy to see why sealants benefit children. Sealant placement in children and adolescents has shown a reduction of cavities incidence of 86 percent after one year and 58 percent after four years. With appropriate follow-up care, the success rate of sealants may be 80-90 percent even after a decade.

• Diet Advice Our pediatric dental specialist encourages a balanced diet to help your child’s teeth and gums develop properly. A diet high in sugar and starches (including carbohydrates!) may place your child at risk for tooth decay. These foods are safer for teeth if they are eaten with a meal and not as a snack. Sticky foods, such as fruit roll ups, raisins and gummy bears, tend to stick on the teeth and are not easily washed away by saliva, water or other drink. These sticky foods have more potential to cause cavities. Don’t put your child to sleep with a bottle of milk, formula, juice, or sweetened liquid, or without brushing their teeth as the last thing before sleeping! Any un-swallowed liquid in the mouth supports bacteria that produce acids and attack the teeth. Putting your infant to bed with nothing more than a bottle of water will protect him/her from severe tooth decay.

Food does not cause tooth decay, eating does. Children’s dental health depends less on what they eat and more on how often they eat it. About 90 percent of all foods contain sugars or starches that enable bacteria in dental plaque to produce acids. This attack by bacterial acid, lasting 20 minutes or more, can lead to loss of tooth mineral and to cavities. Constant and frequent food munching even in small quantities will keep teeth under the acidic attack. A child who licks a piece of hard candy every few minutes to make it last longer or slowly sips a sugared drink while studying, is flirting with a high risk of tooth decay. Such long-lasting snacks create an acid attack on teeth for the entire time they are in the mouth. A food with sugar or starch is safer for teeth if it is eaten with a meal, not as a snack “to minimize exposure of teeth to the acid attack”. Accordingly, provide a balanced diet and save foods with sugar or starch for meal times.

Snacks, served no more than three times a day, should contribute to the overall nutrition and development of the child. Some healthy snacks are cheese, vegetables, yogurt, peanut butter and chocolate milk.

Certain cheeses have been shown to have characteristics that disrupt the development of cavities when eaten alone as a snack or at the end of a meal. Cheeses such as aged cheddar, swiss, mozzarella and monterey jack stimulate the flow of saliva, clearing the mouth of food debris and acting as a buffer to neutralize the acids that attack teeth. The calcium and phosphorous found in cheese also reduce or prevent decreases in pH levels of saliva and promote remineralization of tooth enamel.

Acids present in carbonated beverages can have a greater negative effect (i.e., erosion) on enamel than the acids produced by bacteria from the sugars present in sweetened drinks.

Sugars are essentially the same, whether natural or processed, to cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. All types of sugars and the foods that contain them can play a role in tooth decay.

Cooked starches (fermentable carbohydrates) can lead to cavities just as sugars can. In fact, such cooked starches as breads, crackers, pasta, pretzels and potato chips frequently take longer to clear the mouth than sugars. So the decay risk may last even longer.

Shop smart. Do not routinely stock your pantry with sugary or starchy snacks. Buy “fun foods” just for special times.

If your child chews gum or sips soda, select products that are sugar-free. Recent evidence suggests the use of xylitol chewing gum can decrease a child’s caries rate.

• Teeth Brushing Your child should brush after breakfast and in the evening prior to going to bed. Depending on the child’s age, teeth brushing can be done by your child or done by yourself on his/her behalf.

• Oral Habits – Thumbs, Fingers and Pacifiers It is normal for babies and young children to suck on fingers, pacifiers or objects. It provides security. For young babies, it’s a way to make contact with and learn about the world. Most children stop their habit on their own between one and two years of age. By that time, no harm is done to their teeth or jaws. Some children who retain a habit past three years old may result with upper front teeth that tilt out and lower front teeth that tip inwards. The key time to stop with the habit is by age three. In some cases children need the help of their parents and their pediatric dentist to help them stop. The last resort is for their pediatric dentist to fabricate a mouth appliance that blocks the sucking habit. The thumb, finger and pacifier all affect the teeth essentially in the same way. The pacifier habit is however often easiest to break.

• Cavity Prevention Most of the time teeth cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their foods the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities. Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities. Accordingly, we advice you to limit frequency of meals and snacks, encourage brushing and rinsing, watch what your child drinks, avoid sticky foods, choose nutritious snacks and make treats part of the meals. This way you can limit snacking frequency and reduce teeth exposure to acidity and reduce incidence of teeth decay.

• Habitual Advice Early childhood caries (also known as baby bottle decay, nursing caries or bottle feeding syndrome)can be prevented by encouraging your child to drink from a cup as they approach their first birthday. Children should not fall asleep with a bottle containing anything sugary as their last drink. Night-time breast feeding should be avoided after the first baby tooth begins to erupt (breast milk is very high in sugar). Drinking juice from a bottle will also cause decay. Note that “watering juice down” does not decrease the risk for decay but may help you and your child get rid of their favorite night drink because of wasted taste. Bottle-feeding should be weaned at 12- 14 months of age.

• Regular Dental Check-Ups Dental check-ups should be at least twice a year for most children. Some children need more frequent dental visits because of increased risk of tooth decay due to poor oral hygiene. During the check up, our pediatric dental specialist will review your child’s medical and dental history, will gently examine your child’s teeth and oral tissues. Their teeth will be cleaned by removing debris from both the teeth and gums, apply fluoride to the teeth to renew the fluoride content in the enamel, thus strengthening the teeth and preventing cavities. Hygiene instructions will improve your child’s brushing skills and motivation. X-rays are only taken when necessary to protect your child’s dental health. Parents usually request that we speak to their child about “letting mom or dad help with their brushing at home.” Hearing this directly from our specialist works well for most kids.

Take Care of Your Own Teeth. Babies can “catch” cavities from their caregivers. In majority of the cases, the mother is the source. Research indicates that the cavity-causing bacteria can be transmitted from mothers to infants even before teeth erupt. The better the mother’s oral health, the less the chance the baby will have problems.

Parent Tips: Healthy Teeth for Babies
• Before the teeth erupt, clean the baby’s mouth and gums with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush at bath time. This helps ready the baby for the teeth cleaning to come.

• When the teeth erupt, clean the child’s teeth at least twice a day with a toothbrush designed for small children.

• Take the baby to see a pediatric dentist by the baby’s first birthday. The earlier the visit, the better. It is important to establish a dental home to ensure that the child’s oral health care is delivered in a comprehensive, ongoing, accessible, coordinated and family-centered way by the dentist.

• If the baby is placed to sleep with a bottle, use nothing but water. When a child is given a bottle containing sugary liquids such as milk, formula or fruit juice, the teeth are under attack by bacterial acid for extended periods. This can cause cavities in babies called “early childhood caries,” formerly known as baby bottle tooth decay or nursing bottle syndrome.

• Breast-feeding has been shown to be beneficial for a baby’s health and development. However, if the child prefers to be breast-fed often or for long periods once a tooth appears and other foods/beverages have been introduced into her diet, she/he are at risk for severe tooth decay. Clean the baby's mouth with a wet washcloth after breast-feeding, and encourage a bottle with plain water during the night time.

• Never dip a pacifier in anything sweet; it can lead to serious tooth decay.

• Wean the infant from the bottle by one year of age.

Pacifier or Thumb?
 Babies suck even when they are not hungry (a natural reflex called non-nutritive sucking) for pleasure, comfort and security. In fact, some babies begin to suck on their fingers or thumbs even before they are born.

 In the pacifier-versus-thumb debate, the AAPD votes for pacifiers over thumbs to comfort new babies. A pacifier habit is easier to break at an earlier age. The earlier a sucking habit is stopped, the less chance the habit will lead to dental alignment, jaw and orthodontic problems.

 Sucking on a thumb, finger, or pacifier is normal for infants and young children; most children stop on their own. If a child does not stop by herself, the habit should be discouraged after age three.

 Thumb, finger and pacifier sucking all can affect the teeth essentially the same way. If a child repeatedly sucks on a finger, pacifier or other object over long periods of time, the upper front teeth may tip outward or not come in properly. Other changes in tooth position and jaw alignment also may occur.it should be noted that orthodontic pacifiers are much better than regular round end pacifiers on the negative side of use. They are designed in a way to fit better on upper jaw and allow normal tongue movement, minimizing jaw changes effect.

 Some oral changes caused by sucking habits continue even after the habit stops. Prolonged sucking can create crooked teeth or bite problems. Early dental visits provide parents with information to help their children stop sucking habits before they affect the developing permanent dentition.

 A pediatric dentist can encourage the child to stop a sucking habit and discuss what happens to the teeth and mouth if the child does not stop. This advice, coupled with support from parents, helps many children quit. If this approach does not work, a pediatric dentist may recommend behavior modification techniques or an appliance that serves as a reminder for children who want to stop their habits

Parent Tips for Safe Pacifiers
• Never dip the pacifier into honey or anything sweet before giving it to a baby.

• A pacifier’s shield should be wider than the child’s mouth. Discontinue use if the child can fit the entire pacifier in his mouth.

• Inspect pacifiers frequently for signs of wear or deterioration; discard if the bulb has become sticky, swollen, or cracked.

• Never leave an infant unattended with a pacifier in her mouth, or let her sleep with a pacifier.

• Never substitute a bottle nipple for a pacifier

Fluoride and your Children’s Teeth
Children aged 6 months to 16 years may need fluoride supplements if they drink water that is not optimally fluoridated. Our pediatric dentist considers many different factors before recommending a fluoride supplement. Your child's age, risk of developing dental decay and the different liquids your child drinks are important considerations.

Fluoride for infants is available in fluoride drops or in combination with prescription vitamins. Fluoride sources for children include fluoride toothpastes, fluoride mouth rinses and fluoride applications in the pediatric dental office.

Your child should use toothpaste with fluoride and should not swallow any toothpaste. Careful supervision is encouraged. For children under 3-years-old, use a smear or rice-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste. For those 3 to 6-years-old, no more than a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste on the brush is recommended.



When a child develops a cavity, the pediatric dentist may use certain types of tooth-colored filling materials (such as resin ionomer or compomer) that contain time-release fluorides. This extra fluoride targeted to the child’s problem area can prevent decay and the need for future fillings. Children who benefit the most from fluoride are those at highest risk for dental decay. Risk factors include a history of previous cavities, a diet high in sugar or carbohydrates, orthodontic appliances and certain medical conditions such as dry mouth.

Topical fluoride is a preventive agent applied to tooth enamel. It comes in a number of different forms. A dental professional places fluoride gels and foams in trays that are held against the teeth for up to 4 minutes. Topical fluoride also can be applied as a varnish.

Parents should supervise their preschoolers’ tooth brushing. Use a small smear or rice-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste for children under three-years-old. For those aged 3 to 6 years, use no more than a peasized amount of fluoridated toothpaste when helping your children brush.

Studies have shown that caries increments in 3-year studies were approximately 20-30% greater in subject brushing once or less per day .compared with those brushing twice or more a day.

Baby Teeth & Tooth Brushing
 Toddlers can and should be encouraged to help brush their teeth as soon as they can hold a brush.

 Parents should brush preschoolers’ teeth and supervise the brushing for school-age children until they are 7 to 8 years of age (about the same time they can tie their own shoelaces or write in cursive).

 Choose a toothbrush designed for children’s smaller hands and mouths. Look for large handles that help children control the toothbrush.

 The best toothbrushes have soft, round-ended (polished) bristles that clean while being gentle on the gums. Remember to throw out a toothbrush after 3 months or sooner if the bristles are fraying. Frayed bristles can harm the gums and are not as effective in cleaning teeth.

 The best times to brush are after breakfast and before bed.

 The child should use toothpaste with fluoride and the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. Young children, especially preschool-aged children, should not swallow any toothpaste. Careful supervision is encouraged.

 For children under 3-years-old, use a smear or rice-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. For those 3 to 6 years old, nor more than a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste on the brush is recommended.

Your child needs to start developing a relationship with their dentist at a young age. They need to see how a dental office can be and allow them to get familiar with the office staff. Kids develop trust with consistency. The goal is to start them early in order to develop a relationship in which they progress from an exam to a cleaning to sealants and any restorative treatment that needs to be done. Kids usually don’t do well if their first visit to the dentist is at age four with cavities. They tend to get overwhelmed with new noises, vibrations, and of course local anesthesia.

The initial visit is informative for the parent. Parent(s) develop an individualized preventative program with our pediatric dental specialist. Questions will be answered about diet, brushing and any habits your child may have. As the kids get older, parents will be informed about growth and development. Referrals may be given to other dental specialists, such as orthodontists, due to crowding. A pediatric dentist can identify crowded or crooked teeth and actively intervene to guide the teeth as they come in the mouth. Not only will this improve the look of the child’s smile, but early orthodontic treatment may prevent more extensive treatment later. The advantages of orthodontic care far surpass appearance. Braces and other orthodontic appliances can straighten crooked teeth, guide teeth into proper position as they come in, correct bite problems, and even prevent the need for tooth extractions. Straight teeth not only look better, but are easier to keep clean and therefore less susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease. Last but not least, parents will be able to contact us for any emergency dental trauma. Believe it or not, the kids we care for love coming to the dentist to see us! Their perceptions of dentistry are much different than their parents’. Our pediatric dentist is friendly, caring and professional.

Primary teeth may be temporary, but they deserve good care. A child needs strong, healthy primary teeth not only to chew food easily, pronounce words properly but believe it or not for her psychological make-up .Our mission is to provide specialized and comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents in a friendly, safe, and state-of-the-art environment with a focus on prevention and education for the families. If you’re looking for an experienced dentist for kids in Amman-Jordan, contact us today to schedule an appointment for your child and we will help her maintain healthy teeth and gums from her early life beginnings.