To protect your child’s smile from cavities when they are young, it is recommended that their first dental visit occurs after their teeth begin to erupt or by their first birthday. This is important, because more and more children, including toddlers, are experiencing dental caries.
How is this possible? Unfortunately, it is due to extended exposure to sugary beverages, mainly through sippy cups. These cups were initially created to help parents transition their toddlers from bottles to cups. But more and more children are being allowed to use these cups for longer periods of time. Yes, they are convenient, but they were never meant for longterm use. The problem is that their developing chompers are constantly bathed in sugary drinks such as fruit juice.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the following to help parents keep their toddler’s smile’s safe:
– Give your child the cups to use only for a training period. Once they are capable of holding a normal cup, take them off the sippy cup.
– Unless your child is using the sippy cup during meals, keep the cup it filled with water only.
– When you toddler goes down for a nap or to bed at night, only give them a sippy cup with water.
As the guardian of your child’s smiles, you can keep them safe from tooth decay and ensure a healthy oral foundation. If you would like more information or would like to schedule a dental checkup with our pediatric dentist, Dr. Matt Swan, please call 801-766-2111 today. Our Mountainland Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics team in Lehi, Utah, looks forward to helping you keep your child’s smile healthy from the very beginning!