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Delta Dental of Tennessee Reminds Parents That Good Oral Health Care Starts Early

Monday, February 02, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn., February 2, 2009 — February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and Delta Dental of Tennessee (Delta Dental) is celebrating by reminding parents that good oral health care starts early.

The company has several videos available on YouTube discussing children and oral health as well as what to do in a dental emergency. Information is also available on the company’s Web site at http://www.deltadentaltn.com/.

“The most common chronic disease among children is tooth decay even though it is easily prevented,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H., chief science officer at Delta Dental. “Good oral health care starts early – dentists recommend that parents begin wiping their baby’s gums when they’re about 6 months old.”

Keeping a child’s teeth healthy is important for several reasons. They allow the child to chew properly, maintain space for permanent teeth and are needed for proper speech development. In addition, early loss of primary teeth may cause issues for the child due to speech or appearance problems.

Delta Dental has several recommendations for keeping children’s teeth healthy, including:

Prior to eruption of the child's first tooth, parents should wipe the child's mouth and gums with a clean damp cloth or gauze pad.
Parents need to begin brushing a child's teeth at approximately 6 months or when the first primary teeth begin to appear.
The child's first visit to the dentist should be 6 months after the first tooth erupts, but no later than 12 months of age.
"Baby bottle tooth decay" can be prevented by giving plain water at bedtime or during the night. Milk, sugar water, apple juice or any liquid containing natural or refined sugars should not be given to the child at bedtime as they can cause tooth decay if left on the teeth for extended periods.
Fluoride has been proven to be up to 70-percent effective in the prevention of tooth decay. Parents should check with their dental or medical health care providers for instructions on when and how to get this protection.

“If parents make oral health a priority early in life, they can prevent tooth decay and teach their child good habits – habits that will result in a lifetime of healthy smiles,” Jacobson said.

National Children’s Dental Health Month started as a one-day observance in 1949 and was extended to a weeklong event in 1955. The first month-long observance was held in 1981.

For more information about Delta Dental of Tennessee, visit http://www.deltadentaltn.com/.

Delta Dental of Tennessee, with its affiliates in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee, is one of the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2008, the enterprise paid out nearly $2.1 billion for dental care for more than 6.6 million enrollees. Offices are located in Okemos and Farmington Hills, Mich.; Indianapolis and Greenwood, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; and Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn.

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