The Calabasas Dental Institute, the only full service, environmentally sustainable, digital imaging dental practice and clinical research facility of its kind in Southern California offers advice to help reduce risks of ECC (Early Childhood Caries).
The Director of Pediatric Research at the Calabasas Dental Institute is Dr. Elena Rumack, D.D.S. A diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Rumack sees how a lack of basic nutritional information available to new parents is a direct causal factor on the increase in the rates of ECC.
“Unfortunately, I see children as young as 2 years-old who suffer from tooth decay,” said Dr. Rumack. “Frankly, I believe there needs to be an on-going education for parents to insure their children enjoy the benefits of healthy teeth.”
Here are Dr. Rumack's recommendations to new parents who want to see
healthy tooth development.
*Provide A Balanced and Healthy Diet.
How does a parent provide such a diet for their child?
Answer; Include all the food groups.
Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
Meat
Beans
Milk
Parents who insure the regular intake of these six food groups have a greater likelihood of their children developing healthy teeth and gum tissue. Each food type provides critical minerals like calcium, magnesium and other essential elements children need for healthy
teeth.
*Read ingredient labels.
Sugar and Starch are foods which can interfere with the natural, healthy development of teeth and gum tissue. Sugar is in everything from peanut butter to infant formula. Sugar and Modified Corn Syrup is in cereal, ketchup, salad dressing, chips, drinks and even cans of beans. Read the ingredient labels and reduce the amounts of sugar you
provide your child.
*Serve everything in moderation.
Your child can enjoy snacks, sugar and starch sometimes. Just not all the time. You simply need to select and serve them wisely. Foods with sugar or starch is safe for teeth if it is eaten with a meal, not as a snack. Sticky snacks have more cavity-causing potential than foods more rapidly cleared from the teeth.
*Protect your infant's baby teeth.
Children should not fall asleep with a bottle containing anything other than water. Drinking juice from a bottle should be avoided. Fruit juice should only be offered in a cup with meals or at snack time.
