Basic Oral Hygiene for Young Children and Orthodontics

A dentist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Roderick Garcia, DMD, focuses on procedures related to cosmetic and family dentistry. With 34 years of experience, Roderick Garcia, DMD, and his staff strive to create a positive environment for young children. Early appointments are often used to teach children and their parents about good dental hygiene.

Experts agree that babies should visit the dentist shortly after they begin teething. By age two, children should begin having appointments every six months. In addition to providing an exam and cleaning, dentist use these early appointments to share basic tips and techniques with parents to help ensure children will have a healthy smile for many years to come. Dentists recommend the following tips to prevent tooth decay.

1. Children should brush and floss every day. Parents can wipe the gums of very young children with a soft cloth. Once teeth emerge, a soft brush and a small amount of toothpaste can be used. Teeth that are touching need to be flossed.
2. Parents should set a good example for good oral hygiene. In addition to brushing and flossing regularly, parents should avoid sharing bacteria from their own mouths to their children. This often happens when a parent “cleans” a pacifier by putting it in their own mouth.
3. Prolonged contact with sugars found in formula, juice and breast milk should be avoided. A child should never fall asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth.
4. Parents should not allow their children to have more than 4-6 ounces of juice each day. If juice is offered, it should be significantly watered down.
5. Liquids should be offered in drinking cups rather than bottles at 2 months of age and earlier.
6. Children should eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
7. When in braces utilize above information and add, floss daily with floss threaders, brush 3x/day and depending on age use prescription fluoride. Dental cleanings will be every 3 months.

Dr Roderick A. Garcia DMD provided dentistry for children in a children's dental clinic for 4 years and has treated children of all ages since 1983. Included in Dr Roderick Garcia's treatment for children is Orthodontics both fixed orthodontics and removable orthodontics. Teaching our young patients proper dental care and establishing the importance of good oral hygiene serves them for a lifetime. After 34 years in the dental field it's always great to see one of our adult patients that we've seen since childhood with great oral health and cavity free. Committed to making a difference Roderick A. Garcia DMD 505-634-5059 www.roderickgarciadmd.com