Moms with active gum disease should avoid cross
contaminating their saliva with the child’s mouth.
Dental caries is an infectious disease. You are
accidentally
spreading the bacteria to your child
by tasting their
food, using the same utensils and sharing
saliva with your baby via kissing or other oral contact.
If the “bad” bacteria that may be in mom’s mouth (or
other family members) get a “hold” in the child’s mouth
early, this can lead to baby bottle tooth decay (or “early
childhood caries”).
Mom: if you have dental problems
such as lots
of swollen or bleeding gums, missing teeth, large
numbers of llings, or wear a denture, it is best to use
a clean utensil in your baby’s mouth, and to avoid
getting your saliva in the child’s mouth.
After the child is born,
get the child used to water
in t
heir bottle at bedtime. No fruit juices or milk products
during sleep. Baby bottle tooth decay is a devastating
and expensive disease to treat and leaves your child with
lots of pain and infection affecting them for a lifetime of
dental problems.
Visit the dentist at the time of emergence
of the
rst tooth, or by the rst birthday. This appointment will
be to observe the baby’s mouth and to review with the
caregiver/family the best way to proceed with your
baby’s oral health.
Create a “Dental Home” for your family
to ensure life-long oral health with these
easy lifetime steps:
Preventative oral health starts at home. LIBERTY
Dental Plan (LIBERTY) recognizes this and has created
a Disease Management Program that is the only one
of its kind. This in-home program educates families
on the benets of adopting a proactive attitude
towards managing disease through good oral health
practices. Families are encouraged to
build a “Dental
Home” – an environment that encourages members
of the family to have regular dental checkups and habitual
oral hygiene practices right in their own home.
Good pre-natal health of the pregnant mom.
Have mom’s teeth checked in advance of, and during
pregnancy – especially the gum health. Have routine
cleanings up through and after the birth of the child. Take
care of any chronic gum infection as early as possible in
the pregnancy to avoid circulating inammatory agents
in the blood affecting the development of the child. This
will reduce the bacterial load in mom’s mouth making it
harder to transmit to baby after birth.
Creating a Dental
Home for Kids
LIBERTY cares about more than just teeth!
Stage 1
Pregnancy
Stage 2
Newborns
A “Dental Home”
produces and maintains
healthy smiles
1
www.libertydentalplan.com
© 2020 LIBERTY Dental Plan Creating-a-Dental-Home-for-Kids-Eng RN 01 2020
Making members shine, one smile at a time
When there are more and more baby teeth,
take advantage of paint-on uoride varnish
as performed by the dentist, dental hygienist,
registered dental assistant, pediatrician, or
pediatrician’s medical assistant. Application several
times per year of uoride varnish will prevent cavities
and avoid painful teeth abscesses and early loss of the
baby teeth.
If you do not live in an area of uoridated
water, consider uoride supplements (like vitamin
supplements) to ensure that the teeth are strong
and decay resistant.
At age 6, have the permanent rst molar teeth sealed
after they erupt in the mouth.
Continue with twice annual visits, including
cleaning and uoride varnish.
At age 12, have the permanent second molar teeth
sealed after they erupt in the mouth.
Children participating in school sports should have
an athletic mouth guard made to avoid broken teeth
during competition, or during bicycle riding. Just like
wearing a helmet and head protection, protecting
the teeth will ensure a life of good smiles.
When crowding of the permanent teeth is
detected,
consider visiting an orthodontist to determine
if braces
are recommended and at what age would
be the best time to start orthodontic treatment.
In some cases, coverage for this care is only paid
after all permanent teeth are erupted(approximately
age 11 or older). Other plans may allow for earlier
orthodontic intervention as a covered service.
If one child had early childhood caries (baby
bottle tooth decay), you can still prevent this in your
next child by taking the steps outlined here. Do not
assume that just because it happened once that it is
“destiny” for all your children to have this problem.
Dental disease is preventable and has simple
causes and risk factors that can be avoided and
reduced.
LIBERTY is committed to your family’s oral health.
LIBERTY seeks to partner with you to create a life of
oral wellness for parent and child by providing good-
sense dental plans that empower good oral health
decision-making.
Stage 4
Childhood
Stage 5
Youth
Stage 3
Toddlers
www.libertydentalplan.com
© 2020 LIBERTY Dental Plan Creating-a-Dental-Home-for-Kids-Eng RN 01 2020
Making members shine, one smile at a time
2