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Children should begin to visit the dentist before their second birthday.
In this way they will become used to the surgery from the beginning of memory,
and will thus never develop a fear of the dental environment. Also, it is
hoped that little or no treatment will be needed at this early stage. The
child can therefore be gently broken-in, for example by simply having a ride in
the chair or having its teeth polished. How much better this is than waiting
until the child has pain, when its first experience of dentistry is then an
extraction under general anaesthesia, a most unpleasant happening for a tiny
tot. At this age it is often possible to institute preventive measures before
the rot sets in.
DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
It is not unreasonable to give some thought at this stage to means of preventing
oral disease. We must therefore consider during the coming year ways
in which the following few simple rules can be brought to the attention of young
children and their parents.
1. Avoid sweet and sticky drinks and foods, especially between meals.
2. Never give children undiluted blackcurrant, orange, lemon or similar
fruit juices. These are exceedingly harmful if taken from a spoon,
bottle, or miniature feeder.
3. Clean the teeth immediately after breakfast and supper.
4. Finish meals with a fibrous food such as apples, carrots and nuts, and
then rinse the mouth with water.
5. Eat full meals at regular intervals throughout the day, but avoid between-meal
snacks.
6. Eliminate sticky toffees and long-lasting sweets from the diet. It
is not unreasonable to allow children an occasional chocolate at mealtimes,
but not between meals.