Caring for Your Child's Teeth with Dr. Gerald Cox, Pediatric Dentist - October 8th

For our meeting on Tuesday, we had a fantastic speaker join us to discuss caring for your children's teeth. 

Dr. Gerald Cox is a Pediatric Dentist practicing in Waco. Here are some of the tips Dr. Cox shared with us on oral care and hygiene for our kids!

-The best toothbrush is a moist one in the parents' hand! (Children' don't have dexterity to brush teeth well until the 3rd or 4th grade!) You also don't need training paste for the little ones, just a moist brush will do the job.

-Plaque likes to hide at the gum line, especially in the back. Most kids won't brush way in the back because of the gag reflex. That is why it is so important for parents to help.

-Baby teeth are important to take care of, since kids will have them at least 6 or 7 years until age 12, when many boys lose their molars.

-"Open bite" is caused by genetics, as well as sucking fingers, thumbs, blankets, etc (frequency, duration, and intensity are all factors in how affected the teeth will be from sucking habits)

-Genetics plays 75-85% of the effect on teeth, but diet, oral hygiene, and early diseases (ear infections, RSV, premature birth) also affect development of tooth enamel

-Tooth decay is not entirely preventable (80% of cavities occur in 25% of kids, even in the same family with the same diet & habits as other children)

-Enamel is broken down when teeth are bathed in refined carbohydrates (eating, drinking things other than water), but enamel can be rebuilt when teeth are brushed with fluoride.

-The process of tooth development is most susceptible from 6/9 months to 34/36 months. 

-Bacteria causing cavities is transmissible through saliva! (A cavity-prone adult can pass on this bacteria by sharing an ice cream cone with a child, for instance! Yikes!)

-Bacteria in plaque colonize and make acid; the solution is to get rid of the plaque

-Once brushing is firmly established, add flossing to your children's oral hygiene routine.

-Topical fluoride (soaks in) vs. systemic fluoride treatment (affects developing teeth), but too much fluoride can be dangerous and weaken teeth coming in.

-Use fluoride toothpaste as soon as children can spit it out.

-Sticky, sugary, and acidic foods/drinks are the most dangerous in promoting plaque growth (and even diet sodas have carbonic acid).

-Most damage is done in first the 20 minutes after food is eaten, because of the saliva generated, so if you're going to indulge, it's best to eat a candy bar or drink juice/soda in one sitting instead of biting/sipping it slowly over the course of a few hours.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cox for your kids, contact his office at 254-772-4184. 

Check out Dr. Cox's website for more helpful information: http://www.geraldcoxdds.com/dental-topics.php

We have some great events coming up in November and December for our members. Check out our Facebook page at Heart of Texas Moms of Multiples Support to get more information about joining as a member!

You can also join us for our next Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, January 14th at 7pm at Providence Hospital in Waco to check out a meeting and join as a member.