Debra Stevenson

As you know, the American Dental Association recommends that you visit your dentist at least every six months. That’s because regular dental visits are needed for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. These visits help to protect not just your oral health, but also your overall health. In between those dental examinations, there are specific things that will help you to keep your teeth and gums healthy:

1. Brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride tooth paste.
2. Regularly floss or clean in-between your teeth.
3. On the occasion that you are unable to brush, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water, then brush when possible.
4. Minimize your intake of sugary foods, desserts and sticky snacks, and best to limit them to meal times.
5. Have a dental screening through Pima County Health Department’s First Smiles Matter program (or a similar First
Things First (FTF) program offered through a community health program near you).

Many people don’t realize that we offer dental screenings, [or sometimes called, oral health screenings], a fast and easy process, offered at no cost to you. These screenings do not replace dental visits, but offer reassurance that you are on the right track. All that is needed for the screening is a small dental mirror and flashlight so that the dental hygienist can:

• Look at your teeth and gums
• Check that you are free of cavities/tooth decay
• Note and advise on any issues that need to be addressed by your dentist
• Show you healthy areas or areas that need a little more attention
• Offer free fluoride treatments for children, as needed
• Provide a referral for dental care, as needed
• And give you a new toothbrush and other oral hygiene supplies

These noninvasive screenings are offered to any child, 0 to 5 years of age, and to expectant women in Pima County. We are here for you. Our screenings take place in childcare and preschool facilities, doctors’ offices, hospitals, WIC offices, health fairs, /community events and also in our office.

Though our work is not done, it is important to know is that through a statewide effort, fewer children have untreated tooth decay. “In recent years many different organizations in Arizona, including FTF and ADHS (Arizona Department of Health Services), have worked on improving access to dental care for children. The efforts are paying off – compared to 2003, significantly fewer children had untreated decay in 2015. Overall, 27% of Arizona’s kindergarten children were found to have untreated decay, a decrease from 35% in 2003.” [From – First Things First 2016 Children’s Oral Health Report]

For more information feel free to contact us by calling, First Smiles Matter (520) 724-7902.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       *** The above illustration photo was found on the internet.

Photo from McMillen Health, Jan 8, 2015

The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a simple and healthy nighttime routine for our children, we call it the 3 B’s for Brush, Book, Bed. They suggest that each night the parent or caregiver: 1) Help children to brush their teeth 2.) Read a favorite book, (or two!) 3) Get to bed at a regular time each night. However, First Smiles Matter suggests an additional “B” that we love:

Start With a Bath

We suggest first giving your child a bath. Anna Medaris Miller, in her article The Benefits of Bath Time for Babies, is noted as saying, “For years, parents have valued bath time as intimate (and adorable) moments with their children. In fact, about 84 percent of parents say it’s some of the best quality time with their children they get, according to a Johnson & Johnson survey of over 3,500 parents worldwide last year. Health professionals, meanwhile, have long understood that regular baths are important to maintain kids’ hygiene. Now, researchers are learning that everyday rituals such baths and diaper changes are critical for babies’ development.”

Tiffany Field, PhD, is the Director of the Touch Research Institute in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami School of Medicine, tells us; “The feel of the water on their skin, watching water pour and drain, playing with bubbles, smelling soothing scents, and most importantly, the time for touch. Experts have also found that baths can de-stress and relax your baby to promote a good night’s sleep. Gently rubbing your baby’s skin in the bath slows down the physiology, so it slows the heart rate, it slows blood pressure, it changes brain waves in the direction of relaxation. So it’s basically a relaxation kind of response that occurs to having pressure receptors stimulated.,”

Brushing is Next

Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth comes through, usually at around six months of age. Clean your baby’s mouth with a soft cloth, when they have their first tooth, use a small soft toothbrush with an appropriate amount of toothpaste. Clean all surfaces of the teeth and gums twice a day, in the morning and before bed at night. Baby teeth help children to eat and speak, and guide the permanent adult teeth into position, so it is important to take care of them right from the start.

Remember children need help brushing their teeth until around age eight. They will have established a routine of brushing two minutes daily, cleaning the front, back and chewing surface, for all teeth and tongue. Using a fluoride toothpaste will help to protect teeth from bacteria causing cavities.

Book Reading is Important

Bedtime reading is a great time for distraction-free bonding with your child, so reading each night is a wonderful way to spend quality time. Your reading aloud to them stimulates their imagination and develops their minds. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word.

Bedtime

Sticking to a consistent bedtime routine means better sleep. A good night’s sleep is critical for a child’s healthy growth and helps them to feel and behave better. Having a warm bath, teeth brushed and a book read to them will help them to wind down. Children should not become dependent on your presence to fall asleep. Let your child know that you will be back in a few minutes to check on them, to make sure that they are asleep. Be sure to keep your promise.

2020 First Smiles Matter Oral Health Program (520) 724-7902                                                     funded by:   First Things First

Preventing Decay with Fluoride
What is fluoride (flor-ahyd)?

Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present in different amounts in almost all foods and water. Fluoride is also used in many dental products such as toothpaste and mouth rinses.

How does fluoride help stop cavities?

Fluoride works in two ways: topically and systemically. Topical fluorides (meaning fluoride put right on the teeth) strengthen teeth that are in the mouth. As fluoride washes over the tooth surface, it is added into the outer surface of the tooth, making it stronger which protects teeth from cavities. Topical fluoride also helps protect and make the root surfaces less sensitive by adding fluoride into the naturally occurring “softer” root surface.

Systemic fluorides are those that are swallowed via food and water and are used by the body when the teeth are forming. If fluoride is taken regularly during the time when teeth are forming (6 months to 6 years-old), it will be added into the enamel layer (outer layer of the tooth) as they develop, creating a stronger, more cavity resistant tooth. Systemic fluorides also protect teeth topically; fluoride is in saliva, which is always washing over the teeth. Fluoride can help the tooth repair itself where it may have been damaged by acids early in the cavity process.

How can I get fluoride?

Topical fluoride comes from toothpaste, mouth rinses, gels, and varnishes which are placed directly on the teeth. Children are usually provided with topical fluoride at their dental checkups. Topical fluoride is one of the best ways to get fluoride to teeth. If you or your child has cavities or teeth that are sensitive to cold, your CDA member dentist may give you a product that has more fluoride than products you buy at the store.

Systemic fluoride is available by drinking tap water that either has naturally occurring fluoride or has had fluoride added to help fight cavities. In communities without fluoridated water, people can
purchase bottled water that has fluoride or your CDA dentist or your child’s pediatrician can prescribe fluoride tablets or vitamins. Remember, the fluoride must be swallowed to have systemic effects.

Who benefits from fluoride?

Everyone can benefit from fluoride’s ability to help stop cavities. Almost 60% of people living in California have fluoridated drinking water. If your community is considering fluoridating its water supply, supporting these efforts helps not only you and your children, but everyone in the community.

If some fluoride is good, is more fluoride better?

The benefits of fluoride have been well known for over 60 years and are supported by many health and professional organizations, including the California Dental Association, the American Dental Association, The American Medical Association, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization.

However, as with all substances we swallow, there are safe levels, levels that are the best for our overall health, and levels that are not good. When too much fluoride is taken, a condition called dental fluorosis can result. While dental fluorosis is not harmful, it can cause your child’s teeth to have brown or white spots.

Parents should be aware of the sources of systemic fluoride. If your community water supply is fluoridated at “optimal” or the perfect level to help prevent cavities, then your children should not take fluoride tablets or fluoride vitamins. Additionally, young children (those who cannot spit after brushing their teeth) should only use a small, pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste so that they do not swallow too much fluoride.

What to remember?

Fluoride alone will not prevent cavities; it is only one part of what is needed for strong teeth and good oral health. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste, floss daily, eat a balanced diet, and limit how often you snack in between meals, especially on sweet and sticky foods. Visit your CDA member dentist regularly.

https://gatewaytucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/fluoride_english.pdf

For information specific to fluoride usage in our community, feel free to contact Margarete Perry (520) 724-7902 at the Pima County Health Department’s First Smiles Matter program, to schedule a meeting or lunch and Learn for medical and dental professionals.