9
Volume1 Issue4
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CDA
at
W
ork
FirstVisitbyAge1
I
had theprivilegeof participating ina round ta-
blediscussion inToronto inMay, on thestateof
maternal andchildhealth inCanada.Theevent
washostedby theHonourableRonaAmbrose,
Minister of Health, and Dr. Margaret Chan,
director-general of theWorldHealthOrganization.
It was a great opportunity to deliver one of
Canadian dentistry’s key messages: good oral
health is essential to a child’s well-being. We
know that toothache and infections in primary
teeth can result in lost sleep, poor growth and
behavioural problems. The negative impacts can
alsoextend toachild’sself-esteemand theirability
tocommunicateand socialize.
Minimizing a child’s risk of developing dental
caries can be accomplished, in large part, by en-
couraginggoodoral healthhabits at anearlyage,
such as daily brushing and healthy food choices.
Children can also benefit from proven pre-
ventative techniques suchas topical fluoride
applications, pit and fissure sealants, and
communitywater fluoridation.
A visit to the dentist by age 1 is a best
practice of care that should be em-
braced and promoted by every dentist.
However, many dental offices tell par-
ents towait before bringing their child in
for afirst visit, sometimesuntil age3. It’snot
clearwhether this reflects a lackof awareness
of best practices or a reluctanceby some
dentists to seeyoungerpatients. But
delaying that first visit can have
seriousconsequences.
A recent Canadian Institute
for Health Information
report
showed
that
early childhood caries
accounts for approx-
imately one-third of
all day surgeries performed on preschoolers
between ages 1 to 5. This statistic did not go
unnoticedat the round tablediscussions—ithigh-
lighted the prevalence of a preventable health
problem and raised the alarm about the most
commonchronicdiseaseof childhood.
This is why CDA supports a first visit to the den-
tist by age 1 as a best practice to reduce early
childhood caries and start children on the path
towarda lifetimeofgoodoral health.
A child’s first visit to the dentist is an important
milestone and should be celebrated. It’s our
opportunity to educate parents and caregivers
about best practices, good dental habits and
how to integrate oral care routines into their dai-
ly schedules. By performing a personalized caries
risk assessment for a child, we can help parents
understand the known risk factors for early child-
hoodcariesandhow theymightbemitigated.
Parentsandcaregivershaveanessential role inen-
suring their children achieve optimal oral health.
Theymayneedour adviceabouthow to takecare
of their child’s teeth, including tips on how to ef-
fectively brush teeth and gums, information on
tooth-friendly snacks anddrinks, or a reminder to
avoid sending their child tobedwithabottle.
Other health care providers also have an impor-
tant part to play in reducing early childhood
caries. The round table discussion provided an
opportunity to encourage other health profes-
sionals to look in their pediatricpatient’smouths,
talk toparentsaboutgoodoral healthcarehabits
andencourageavisit to thedentist byage1.
Finally, explaining the broader connections be-
tweenoral health and systemic health toparents
and caregivers canbe a persuasive reminder that
ahealthymouth ismore than just agreat smile.
a
GaryMacDonald,dds
HelpSpread theWord:
From thePresident
