My 1 year and 5 months old baby already has cavities. We have decided to have his milk teeth checked by a pediatric dentist at Tooth Kingdom, The Block SM North EDSA branch. We’ve learned that his upper front teeth have cavities so we have to give him special dental care to delay tooth decay.

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) or baby bottle tooth decay is a bacterial infection causing severe decay in the teeth of infants or young children. Decay occurs when sweetened liquids such as formula milk and fruit juices are given and are left clinging to an infant’s teeth for long periods. In my son’s case, formula milk is the main culprit; especially when he consumes milk during the night.

We were advised to allow our son to undergo a Root Canal procedure plus the crown (the silver metal coating thingy). The idea of sedation and the root canal itself seemed alarming. Sealants (without root canal fillings) is a better option but we still have to seek for a second opinion to make sure.

Tips on how to care for your baby’s teeth

• Each time your child drinks sweetened liquids and eat meals, acids attack after a few minutes. So make sure you clean his/her teeth and mouth afterwards – rinse with water, wipe with a damp cloth, or brush.
• When your child reaches one year old, use a kiddie toothpaste with fluoride. I was warned, however, by the pediatric dentist that ingestion of too much fluoride is harmful. So, brush your child’s teeth twice or thrice a day (preferably after meals) with a very small amount of toothpaste.
• Visit a pediatric dentist every 3 or 4 months for dental check-ups.
• Avoid giving your child sweets, especially hard candies and snacks.

Zaiel @ Tooth Kingdom

Toys! Waiting was never a bore.

Stuffed toys are his faves. He loves to cuddle – a lot!

Shot taken after his first dental check-up. He cried the whole time. For moms who might want to know the rate, it’s Php 1,200 – Cleaning (scraping and toothbrush) + Fluoride.

Most of the time, we parents are to blame. T_T

He does this whenever I say, “Show me your teeth!”

Published: 2011-06-16 14:38:22