To celebrate February’s Children’s Dental Health Month, nothing says love like a dental home by age one. So says Bhavna Pahel, pediatric dentist in private practice with Village Family Dental in Fayetteville, NC, and mom of two. She believes a dental home is very similar to–and as vital as–a medical home for babies and toddlers. “It’s a place for families to receive comprehensive, culturally-sensitive, and family-centered oral health care for children, such as oral health messages, dietary counseling, and anticipatory guidance about growth and development.”
According to Pahel, who is also adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, the mouths of babies are very dynamic. Changes happen on a monthly basis, which means parents have a lot of questions. As a specialist in dentistry for children, Pahel recommends a dental home by age one to help families with issues, including:
*Teething
*Cleaning and care of the mouth and new teeth by brushing daily with fluoride toothpaste
*Addressing dental injuries and trauma due to falls as babies and toddlers learn to walk
*Treating dental emergencies
*Introducing solid foods and healthy nutrition choices
*Saying no to juice, soft drinks, and sports drinks before age one
Pahel strives to be on the same page as pediatricians when it comes to sharing messages about diet and nutrition. “The mouth is the doorway to the rest of the body, especially for babies,” she points out. “Many of the risk factors for cavities in children are the same as those for obesity and diabetes, which are growing health concerns. It’s important to share these messages with parents while baby teeth are rapidly erupting. I like to see families before children get teeth to do some preemptive counseling so everyone is aware of what to look for and expect as children grow and the teeth come in.”
The evidence in support of the age one dental home is on Pahel’s side, which means it is ultimately also on the family’s side. “When children have cavities and mouth pain, they are unable to focus in school, they lose school days, it affects their quality of life when they can’t focus and are uncomfortable eating, drinking and sleeping. And it affects parents too, having to take time off of work, costing money, seeing their child unhappy and in pain. Tooth decay is preventable. Going to the dentist starting by age one can have a big impact on little ones.”
Want more? Click the short ToothTalk video Why Babies Need a Dental Home or visit Children’s Dental Health Month .
