Dr. Medina Diana Dadurian, D.M.D

The ADA and AAPD both recommend that children be seen every 6 months (twice a year) for their routine check-ups. Prevention is key to good dental/oral health!

The critical issue with candy is the format the candy is in: hard, chewy, sticky, tacky, crunchy; the sugar content per serving; how often it is consumed in the day/week. The worst candy to consume is a sticky/chewy/tacky one because it concentrates the sugar where it adheres to the tooth and takes mechanical removal from the tooth surface. The saliva cannot clear it from the mouth, changing the pH in the mouth and supporting bacterial growth over extended time. The perfect recipe for decay! The best, least damaging candy that one can have daily (in moderation) is dark chocolate. On an American diet, that would be 1 ounce (2 mini red wrapper Dove bars or 4 purple foil Hershey's kisses) per day.

Typically, orthodontic treatment is usually begun once all the baby teeth have fallen out. HOWEVER, it really needs to be evaluated on a case by case presentation. You should really consult with your dentist and orthodontist to know what plan of action is best for your overall success.

This should be an exciting milestone in a young life! Your son's response is becoming more prevalent with the generation. Maybe a trip to the library to read some books about tooth loss would help with perspective for your son. "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" series has a great one dealing with going to the dentist and tooth loss. Share your own tooth loss memories highlighting the positive aspects (tooth fairy's visit and the prize she may have left you). Remind him that it's a process that everyone in the family has experienced, nothing bad has happened to anyone because of it, and it's part of growing up. Bonus point is that there is an adult tooth growing in to replace it!!! How cool is that!!

Congratulations on having a strong, assertive young toddler! Just like with other aspects of parenting to this point, you had to be gentle and consistent with your position. The same applies to oral hygiene. The best way to clean teeth of any age is with the brush and floss. May I suggest that she be allowed to brush her teeth in the morning but the adult n charge at bedtime be the one to floss first then brush her teeth before lights out. In this way she can stretch her independence muscles and you still have a strong sence of how well she's accomplishing her task.

Being a child and a parent in the 21st century has its comforts and its difficulties. Unfortunately, these are one of the difficulties. Your nurturing, consistent, unwavering message should remain the same daily; flossing and brushing of the teeth is a daily hygiene practice. Although your daughter may be very mature in some aspects of her personality, this point may not be one of them. May I suggest an "independence" compromise? She still may need you to be the hands-on parent in helping with flossing and brushing nightly (the most important one of the day). Your daughter can be responsible for the morning brushing before school (this one is the less critical one of the day).

Wonderful news!! The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends all children be seen on or about their first birthday for their dental examination and cleaning. It's time to start seeing the pediatric dentist and continue with 6-month cleanings.

That's wonderful! He is exhibiting age-appropriate behavior with his disinterest in brushing and you're exhibiting solid parenting in helping him brush. Keep it up!!! Children typically don't do an appreciable good job of brushing until they are "smitten" by the gender of choice and realize that hygiene matters. That's usually in adolescence/high school age. Parents must continue to provide onsite "cheerleading" support and once in a while hands on help to maintain good oral hygiene. Parenting is a very demanding job, harder today then ever, but your child will develop independent, good oral hygiene practices eventually. Be patient.

This is always a concern for tooth and bone development. Some children do outgrow their intolerance as they hit puberty. There are other foods that are calcium-rich. The key to unlocking their availablity and absorbtion is the concept of food pairing. For example, certain cheeses taste better with a tomato or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar; but more importantly, the acidity from the tomato helps unlock the calcium in the cheese for the body to process and utilize.

Spaces between all the baby teeth have a higher chance of a more desirable alignment of the permanent teeth with little to no crowding. Wait till the incisors and canines fully exchange to evaluate orthodontic and/or frenectomy treatment.