February is Dental Health Month

This month is National Children’s Dental Health Month. To celebrate this event, the KA will be featuring weekly articles from the 86th Dental Squadron focusing on various aspects of oral health. 

In addition, the 86th Dental Squadron will be visiting schools and many local clubs and organizations. Below is a list of planned visits:
• Thursday: Girl Scout Hut, Brownie Troop #21
• Feb. 16: Ramstein Child Development Center
• Feb. 18 and 19: Sembach Elementary and Intermediate schools
• Feb. 22 to 26: Ramstein Elementary and Intermediate schools
• Feb. 25: Ramstein Library Story time

Sippy Cups and Your Child’s Teeth
As soon as teeth appear, decay can occur. One of the risk factors for early childhood caries (sometimes called baby bottle tooth decay or nursing mouth syndrome) is frequent and prolonged exposure of a baby’s teeth to liquids, such as fruit juice and milk or formula, which all contain sugar.

Tooth decay can occur when a baby is put to bed with a bottle. Infants should finish their bottle before going to bed. Because decay can destroy an infant’s teeth, parents should encourage their children to drink from a cup by their first birthday. Many training cups, also called sippy or tippy cups, are available in stores.

Don’t let your child carry the training cup around. Toddlers are often unsteady on their feet and they take an unnecessary risk if they try to walk and drink at the same time. A training cup should be used temporarily. Once your child has learned how to sip, the training cup has achieved its purpose. It can and should be set aside when no longer needed.

Talk to your dentist for more information. If your child has not had a dental examination, schedule a checkup for his or her teeth. The American Dental Association says it is beneficial for the first dental visit to occur within six months of the appearance of the first tooth, and no later than the child’s first birthday.

(Courtesy of 86th Dental Squadron)