“Should my son have a caries risk assessment?”
My son is 7 months old, but I want to be prepared for anything that comes up with his health, including dental. Should he have a caries risk assessment? Is it worth it?
8 Answers
The main thing you need to know right now is to use a small baby brush and half a pea sized amount of childrens toothpaste to start brushing the teeth that are starting to come in. Around 2 years old all the baby teeth will be in and as the spaces between the teeth close off you will need to start flossing them with a small pre-threaded floss holder. They look like white plastic toothpicks with a U-shaped top and a small attached line of floss. Also it is important not to leave your baby with juice or milk while they sleep. Their teeth should be rinsed with a a little water from a bottle or their final drink for the night should be a bottle of water to prevent bottle rot (rotten, cavities on the back of the teeth)
I believe it is too early to do a caries risk assessment. He needs more teeth first.
A Caries Risk Assessment (CRA) should be a free service provided by your pediatric dentist. If you are a DIY type you can go to AAPD.org and search for caries risk assessment. The second option in the search results takes you to a paper. There are three tables in the middle of the paper that are the CRA. Use table 3 and answer the 14 questions. Seven is a great age to do this as adult teeth are coming in and you want to be sure that his habits and protective factors are in place for lifelong healthy teeth.
Marc D. Thomas DDS
Marc D. Thomas DDS
He shouldn’t need an assessment per say but he should have his first appt for his cleaning and exam as soon as you see he has any teeth.
I would just suggest first dental visit by 1st Birthday to establish Dental Home and a risk assessment would be done as part of that first visit.
As soon as your kid has 1 tooth in his or her mouth, caries risk assessment is recommended
Hi
You should do what makes you most comfortable and have peace of mind. Most infants will have their baby teeth start erupting anywhere from 7-12 months.
So as long as you stop bottle feeding milk, apple juice etc. during bedtime once the teeth erupt, and use a soft wet cloth to massage and clean the gums and teeth, should be fine. Hope this helps.
You should do what makes you most comfortable and have peace of mind. Most infants will have their baby teeth start erupting anywhere from 7-12 months.
So as long as you stop bottle feeding milk, apple juice etc. during bedtime once the teeth erupt, and use a soft wet cloth to massage and clean the gums and teeth, should be fine. Hope this helps.
As long as you clean his teeth properly, follow good oral hygiene protocol (no bedtime bottle with anything but water), and limit sugar intake, your child should develop fine without a caries assessment. He should see a dentist no later than 2 years of age.
