Olivia L. Lawrence
A young patient shows off her ‘Cavity Free Rockstar” certificate
with dentist, Neesha Duggal of Wurtsboro Dental, in Wurtsboro, Orange
County.
When Julie Jones'
14-year- old daughter spent an overnight at a friend's house, she forgot her
toothbrush. As soon as she got home, she told her mom that she needed to brush
teeth right away.
Not every teen
might have had that reaction, but there's a reason this one did.
"It all goes
back to habits," said Jones, of a cornerstone of good dental health that
she's incorporated into her daughter's care. "It's routine and
habits."
As a mother of
three in Kingston who works with Family of Woodstock Inc. that provides
services for families in need, Jones is well-aware of the challenges many
parents may face in getting good dental care.
"I believe
it's always a parent's intention to do their best, but sometimes all the other
pieces are missing," she said, of obstacles that may keep kids out of the
dental chair, such as transportation, childcare issues, or budgetary
constraints.
But there are
other cases, Jones said, where adults who don't pay attention to their dental
health, don't see the value of why it's important for their child. A pivotal
moment for Jones was when a dentist told her that people only get one set of
teeth.
"When my girls were young, we were all in
(the bathroom) brushing together," she said. "It was a moment we
could spend together and there was a lot of laughter," along with a
brushing routine.
For the little
ones, Jones suggested that parents brush their child's gums or gently massage
them when their teeth start to come in. Then, by pre-school, a children's book
on dental care or a model of the teeth can help get kids invested in about
caring for their own.
A pediatrician and
dental visits also play important roles, said Jones, since getting a toothbrush
kit can put a smile on kids' faces.
Dentist has key
role. Dentist,
Neesha Duggal, of Orange County and a graduate of Goshen High School grew up
shadowing her father, Paul Duggal a dentist and head of a long-time dental
practice in Middletown. Duggal, the mother of a three-year-old son, now runs
her own practice, Wurtsboro Dental, in Wurtsboro.
Early on, Duggal
said, children's pediatricians typically start kids on supplemental fluoride
drops. But by the time children are two and their baby teeth have grown in,
kids should begin dental visits.
"This is a
quick exam and the child can sit on Mom or Dad's lap and be comfortable,"
said Duggal. "They may learn a little about the toothbrush and mirror the
hygienist or dentist will use, but the main objective here is to begin a
relationship with the dentist's office and to prevent dental phobia. There may
be a little exam or cleaning."
Duggal said these
early, easy interactions help form a trust and comfort level that will make
future care a positive experience, even if more involved treatment is needed.
"Mom and Dad
are the most crucial part in all of this," Duggal said. "They can be
part of a routine visit and take tools home to use."
Fluoride, said
Duggal, can help slow the rate of decay. The chronic disease occurs in
one-in-four children who do not have access to fluoridated water or other readily
available sources of fluoride.
"They can
miss school, have speech delays and poor nutrition because dental health is
preventing them from eating," Duggal said. "It's all
intertwined."
READ MORE: Find a dentist for your family
With February
being National Children's Dental Health Month, Duggal plans to go into local
schools and daycares, including her son's preschool, with an educational
program on dental care. She's also working with the Monticello school district
to provide programs for middle- and high school-aged students.
"Middle school
students are not getting enough education on dental health," she said.
"They still need reminders. Parents may think their kids know at this
point, but they don't, or they need a reminder."
Healthy dental
habits come down to a long-standing relationship with your dentist, said
Duggal, including dental hygiene practices that become a part of kids'
routines.
"You want the
child to have trust in their dentists and not be traumatized," she said.
"If you don't come back for two to three years, that's when problems can
arise."
And, for those
teens that don't have good dental habits or a positive relationship with a
dentist, Duggal re-introduces them to the right way to brush their teeth and
reminds them that their teeth are the only set they're going to have.
Important, said
Duggal, are brushing twice a day, seeing the dentist twice a year, and getting
the appropriate amount of sodium fluoride to help prevent cavities and support
enamel formation.
"We'll talk
about juice and candy and other sweets," she said of the relevance of
diet. "For instance, an apple is better than apple juice."
Hygienist tips. Greenville resident, Liz Brown,
a hygienist at Wurtsboro Dental and mother of two grown children said when it
comes to getting up to speed on dental care, it's about education.
"When I
started out, I didn't always realize the right way to do things," said
Brown, talking about raising her children before she worked in the field of
dentistry.
Nowadays, she's
seeing more parental concern about their child's teeth and dental health. For
instance, making time for a six-month check-up and cleaning that includes
removing tartar (dental calculus) which can trap bacteria helps prevent gums
from getting inflamed.
As well,
children's floss picks are available and, if needed, parents can help with
their child with flossing.
"As regular
floss can be awkward, (electric water flossers like) Waterpik are another good
tool, as is an electric toothbrush," said Brown, adding that they can
bring efficiency and fun technology to the process.
READ MORE: Honoring the tooth fairy
For young children
that don't have the coordination to brush properly, Brown said parents can
start them on the brushing process, then let the child finish for a sense of
accomplishment.
Also important is
fluoride's part in dental care, with fluoridation in most counties in the
Hudson Valley specific to a town or
area, such as a housing development (find out if your water district is
fluoridated at https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF/Default/WaterSystemList.aspx).
Dentists, said
Brown, will look at how much fluoride a child is getting from available sources
and proceed from there, possibly prescribing fluoride vitamins.
"It's
important to start at a young age with drops or chewable vitamins," she
said. "Fluoride toothpaste isn't swallowed and isn't enough. Vitamins with
fluoride will help protect the baby teeth but it also goes into the adult teeth
that are being formed so it's a dual purpose."
The back teeth
(pre-molars) maintain the space for adult teeth that come in around ten years
old and the front baby teeth do the same for permanent teeth come in between
five and seven years old.
Many dental teams
offer nutritional counseling, including brushing after eating sweets. For
example, products such as fruit roll ups and gummy vitamins stick to the teeth,
said Brown, leaving troublesome residue on them if they're not brushed after
enjoying the treats.
She also advised
against using a bottle with milk or sweet substances with the child overnight.
"That causes problems," Brown said, since long exposure to the sugars
in these products allows them to pool around teeth and increase the incidence
of tooth decay.
Olivia L.
Lawrence is an editor for a news organization. She likes to spend her free time
outside gardening or otherwise enjoying nature.