Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Children with healthy smiles are easier to find today because of regular dental care. Dental professionals advise parents to take early action to insure the health of their child's teeth. Attitudes and habits learned at an early age are key to good oral health for a lifetime.

Babies usually get their first tooth at about age six months. By age three, most children will have all their baby (primary) teeth. Although baby teeth are temporary, they are vital to the future health of adult (permanent) teeth. Some of a child's baby teeth will need to stay in place until age 12 or 14. Early tooth loss because of decay or accidents can cause a number of growth problems for permanent teeth. Baby teeth are needed for proper chewing and eating. They also hold space for permanent teeth and guide them into the proper position. Baby teeth help develop good speech patterns and normal jaw and muscle formation.

Some tips for parents to help keep their children's teeth healthy:

• Daily brushing and flossing is important to remove plaque that forms each day.
• Take your child to the dentist for annual dental checkups and cleanings.
• Avoid putting a child to bed with a bottle full of milk or other high-sugar drinks. This can cause extreme tooth decay.
• Fluoride treatments at the dentist, in the water and in fluoride toothpaste helps fight decay.
• Low sugar snacks and a variety of healthy foods helps to keep a healthy smile.

Don't let lack of a dentist or insurance keep you from getting dental care for your child. There are places that can help:

• For a list of local dentists call the Genesee District Dental Society at (810)230-3790 or call a national referral service at 1-800-DENTIST.

• For low income cleanings and exams, call the Mott Community College Dental Program at (810) 762-0493. For other dental care call Mott Children's Health Center at (810) 767-5750.

For more information about dental health visit the American Dental Hygienist Association website at www.adha.org.or the Amerian Dental Association website at www.ada.org.