Some parents wonder if it’s necessary to brush their baby’s teeth. Can babies even get cavities? The answer is yes, they can. Here’s why and how to prevent it.

Why Babies Can Get Cavities

Cavities are caused by bacteria in the mouth that feed on sugars and carbohydrates left behind after meals. If a baby has a lot of these bacteria, they can develop cavities.

Tips to Prevent Cavities in Babies

-Delay Bacteria Introduction: Babies are born without bacteria in their mouths. Try to delay the transfer of bacteria by avoiding activities that share saliva, such as sharing spoons, tasting their food, kissing on the lips or cleaning pacifiers with your mouth.

Avoid Nighttime Feeding With a Bottle: Don’t let your baby sleep with a bottle or stay latched onto the breast all night. Both formula and breast milk contain natural sugars, which can lead to cavities if teeth are exposed to them for long periods.

-Start Brushing Early: Begin brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as their first tooth appears. Aim to brush once a day, ideally after their evening bottle or breastfeeding session. Use a tiny smear of toothpaste to give your baby the protective benefits of fluoride.

By following these simple tips, you can help ensure your baby has a cavity-free future!

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Feel free to share this post to help other parents keep their babies’ teeth healthy! More questions? Call to schedule an appointment today at Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio. Call 210-680-7841 today!

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SDF is a great option for young children or other patients who can’t tolerate conventional dental treatment. It’s also a great way to treat very small cavities so they don’t get bigger. Sometimes when we catch very small cavities early and put on SDF, they don’t need fillings or other treatments later. Oftentimes we’ll use silver diamine fluoride to prevent a young child from going through general anesthesia (going completely asleep).

SDF does have a few side effects. The first one is a metallic, bitter taste that lasts for a few minutes. The other side effect of SDF is black staining of the cavity. When the cavity is on a back tooth, it’s often not very noticeable. When the cavity is on a front tooth, the black stain is often very noticeable. Some parents still prefer the black staining on a front tooth if it means their child doesn’t need numbing and drilling.

Do you want to find out if SDF is an option for your child? Bring your child in for an appointment and let’s discuss their options based on their needs. Here’s a link to more information, including before and after photos. Silver Diamine Fluoride.

Schedule Your Child’s Visit

If you’re exploring options to address cavities with minimal discomfort, SDF might be the solution you’re looking for. Scheduling an appointment with our Pediatric Dentistry team in San Antonio, Texas to discuss the suitability of SDF for your child’s dental needs is a step towards a healthier, happier smile without the anxiety traditionally associated with dental care. Our skilled dentists, Dr. Derrick Cantu and Dr. Christi Wengler are always here for your child’s growing smile! You can reach us at 210-680-7841.

The post What Is Silver Diamine Fluoride? first appeared on Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio.

Giving your child diluted juice all day is a recipe for cavities. Even though your child might not be getting that many grams of sugar, as a dentist we’re more concerned about the frequency that your child’s teeth are exposed to sugar. So drinking a cup of full-strength juice at mealtime isn’t that bad for their teeth, but sipping on juice-flavored water all morning or afternoon is.

Every time the mouth is exposed to carbohydrates, like with juice, the oral bacteria make acid. That acid hangs around for about 20 minutes before the acid is neutralized by your child’s saliva. Unfortunately, those acids on the teeth are what cause tooth decay and cavities. So sipping on diluted juice all day is just exposing the teeth to acid all day and inviting tooth decay.

The best thing for your child to drink in between meals is plain water. Offering water in fun cups and water bottles, or adding ice, can make it more appealing. Also, model healthy habits so your kids see you drinking water between meals. If they still refuse plain water, you can add sugar-free water enhancers, like squeezable Mio or Crystal Light. The goal of squeezable flavor is to slowly wean them off the water enhancers so they are just drinking plain water between meals.

Call Today!

The key to protecting your child’s teeth and ensuring their overall dental health is to make plain water the go-to drink between meals. Remember, fostering healthy drinking habits is not just about quenching thirst—it’s about setting the foundation for a lifetime of good dental health. To help your child stay cavity-free, please ditch the diluted juice between meals and stick to water for optimal hydration. Our Pediatric Dentistry team of San Antonio, Texas is here to help your child’s growing smile. If you have questions or need to schedule a visit with one of our dedicated dentists, Dr. Derrick Cantu and Dr. Christi Wengler, please call 210-680-7841 today!

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Fortunately, the combinations of healthy snacks are endless if you follow the formula of a protein plus carbohydrate. Some protein ideas are meat, cheese, yogurt, milk, nuts and nut butters, or hummus. Carbohydrates are bread or tortillas, crackers, fruit and vegetables, or pretzels, etc.

Tasty Examples of Carbohydrate With a Protein

• Cheese and crackers
• Apples and peanut butter (Dr. Wengler’s favorite!)
• Pretzels dipped in hummus
• Yogurt with blueberries
• Cottage cheese with canned fruit
• Trail mix of Cheerios, raisins, and almonds
• Tortilla with sliced turkey

Schedule Pediatric Dental Appointment

At Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio, Texas, we believe the key to ensuring your child enjoys not only delicious but also nutritious snacks lies in the simple yet effective pairing of carbohydrates with proteins. This balance not only provides them with the energy they need throughout the day but also offers protection against dental cavities by mitigating the harmful effects of simple carbohydrates.

By incorporating these balanced snacks into your child’s diet, you’re not just satisfying their hunger; you’re also laying the foundation for healthy eating habits that benefit both their dental and overall health. Dr. Derrick Cantu and Dr. Christi Wengler look forward to helping your child develop healthy smiles in San Antonio, Texas. Call 210-680-7841 to schedule your child’s dental visit!

The post Recipe for a Healthy Snacks: Carbohydrate Plus Protein first appeared on Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio.

Chocolate is a mix of sugar and fat, so it’s quickly washed off of the teeth. Compare the experience of eating M&Ms versus the experience of eating jelly beans and gummy bears. The chocolate leaves your mouth after a few minutes, while the jelly beans and gummy bears tend to stick in your teeth for an hour or more. The whole time the candy is stuck in your teeth, the “sugar bugs” and bacteria in your mouth are having a blast and potentially causing cavities.

Also, sticky candies and hard candies (like Jolly Ranchers) are more likely to pull off dental work like fillings, crowns and sealants.

Schedule Your Child’s Dental Appointment

While indulging in sweets might be a delightful treat, it’s important to choose wisely for the sake of your dental health and that of your child. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate as preferred by Dr. Wengler, emerges as a surprisingly tooth-friendly option. Its quick dissolvability means less time for bacteria to feast and cause harm, setting it apart from its stickier, harder counterparts.

So, next time you’re child is faced with a choice between a chocolate bar and a pack of gummy bears, remember that chocolate is not only a treat for their taste buds but also a kinder option for their teeth. When in doubt, encourage them to choose chocolate, with a little less worry for their oral health. Dr. Derrick Cantu and Dr. Christi Wengler are pleased to provide pediatric dentistry in San Antonio, Texas, for your child’s smile. Please call Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio today at 210-680-7841 to schedule their dental visit!

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