Just as with any medical profession, no matter how much we are trained, dentists are always learning. Thankfully, in this day-and-age, we have easy access to all of the latest information, so we can keep our practices up-to-date. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed and tested something called the Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool. This chart allows dentist to focus on the various risk factors for cavities in our youngest patients.
Dealing with Cavity Risk
Cavities are the most common dental issue found in children. Though every baby emerges with a clean slate of dental health, a combination of environmental and genetic factors will play a role in whether or not cavities are a big problem for your child. Keeping track of all of the risk factors can help your dentist partner with you to be extra proactive with your child’s dental health. A child who has a particularly high tooth decay risk might receive a recommendation to brush more often, use a particular toothpaste or mouthwash, or come into the dentist for a cleaning more often than the usual twice-a-year.
Cavity Risk Factors
- According to the AAP and the Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool, some of the most prevalent tooth decay risk factors for children are:
- Mother or primary caregiver has been diagnosed with a cavity in the last year
- The child has had visible decalcifications (white spots) on teeth within the last year
- Obvious decay can be seen
- The child has already had one or more fillings
- Some other tooth decay risks that might not be as high on the list, but are still worth noting, are:
- Mother or primary caregiver doesn’t go to the dentist
- Bottle or sippy cup (full of a liquid other than water) is in frequent/near constant contact with teeth
- Child snacks frequently (especially on highly processed complex carbohydrates, or sugary treats)
- Visible plaque is on the child’s teeth
- Gingivitis (early gum disease) can be seen upon examination
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Visit Downey Family Dentistry
To schedule an appointment with our Downey, CA dental practice, call us at (562) 472-2433. Also, visit our website for services, testimonials, and to learn more about our team. We proudly treat patients from Workman, Hollydale, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, and surrounding cities.
