Local Dentist Urges Parents: Stop Using a Pacifier or Bottle for Sleeping PLUS Other Tips

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I recently had the opportunity to attend one of the Super Dentists’ Mommy and Me series events in Kearny Mesa. Before I get to all the info I learned during the session, I have to say The Super Dentists is pretty cool. The place looks like a theme park and while it’s meant for kids, they do parent dentistry too. You can even schedule your appointments at the same time as your kids.

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The Mommy and Me series is worth checking out too. They take your kids and entertain them with crafts, stories and more while you learn. I handed off my 6-month-old daughter and they babysat and entertained her with the rest of the kids. It was awesome and so cute too!

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While she played, I took notes on topics of pediatric dentistry and the connection between oral health and fertility. I compiled the info into a list of what I felt other parents would want to know.

Baby/Child Dental

1- Get your baby to a pediatric dentist before their first birthday. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child goes to the dentist by age 1, or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Primary teeth typically begin growing in around 6 months of age. As a first-time parent, I had no idea! I thought I had a couple of years before I needed to schedule a pediatric dental appointment.

2- Baby bottle tooth decay is a huge risk if you are amongst the 17% of parents who put their child to bed with a bottle of milk, formula or juice. I’m 100% in that category, and put my baby down with a bottle. Yikes! I learned I need to stop this sleep association as soon as possible.

3- Remove pacifiers as a sleep association. These can negatively affect the growth of teeth and jaws.

4- Stop thumb sucking as early as possible and definitely by age four.

5- If your baby is tongue-tied, get this fixed as early as possible. There are laser treatments that take five seconds without any bleeding.

6- No child should ever snore. 

Oral Health & Fertility

1- Men with oral health issues have a lower sperm count.

2- Women with gingivitis are three times more likely to have infertility problems.

3- Almost all women get some sort of gingivitis during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

4- During pregnancy, avoid the dentist unless it’s an emergency during the 1st trimester. Go during the 2nd trimester or the start of the 3rd trimester.

5- Dental X-rays are generally safe during pregnancy. Ask for “no radiation technology.”

6- If you have morning sickness, rinse with water, but wait to brush your teeth immediately after.

7- Here are the signs you have gingivitis: #1 bad breath, #2 bleeding gums, and this includes when you floss. See a dentist and they’ll give you a diagnosis. 

For more information or if you have further questions on these tips, feel free to reach out to the staff at The Super Dentists.

1 COMMENT

  1. Tons of good info!

    We were lucky to have a compassionate pediatric dentist, who always made the children comfortable and allowed me to be with them during procedures. It eased my mind so much.

    Snoring can be a sign of an allergy as I discovered. Mamas, make sure to explore all of your options, including changing your child’s diet before surgical solutions. 🙂

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