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 Health
professionals should refer infants
to a dentist for an oral examination
6 months after the first tooth
erupts or by age 12 months.
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Although preventive practices have dramatically
reduced oral disease in some U.S. populations during
the last several decades, the need for oral health
care is still great. Oral health professionals —
especially pediatric dentists — who are willing
to see infants and children are relatively few in
number and are unevenly distributed. Prevention and
early intervention are unavailable for many infants
and young children, particularly those from vulnerable
populations. Health professionals who care for infants
and young children are in an excellent position to
prevent oral health problems from occurring, to identify
problems at an early stage, and to help families locate
oral health services.
Health professionals can help ensure
that infants and young children receive the care
they
need by referring infants to a dentist for an oral
examination within 6 months of the eruption of the
first primary tooth, and no later than age 12 months[1],
and by establishing the child’s dental home.
(See Module
2, section 2.7.) Establishment of the
dental
home provides an opportunity to foster the development
of preventive
oral health
habits that can help keep children free from oral
disease.
Health professionals should be trained
to perform an oral health risk assessment on all
infants
beginning at age 6 months to identify known risk
factors for tooth decay as well as for other oral
health problems[1].
(See Module
2, section 2.2.)
Many oral health problems can be prevented
if parents take good care of their infant’s or
child’s gums and teeth, optimize systemic and
topical fluoride exposure, and eliminate prolonged
exposure to simple carbohydrates. Health professionals
can promote the oral health of infants and children
by learning about oral development, oral disease,
oral hygiene, fluoride, nutrition, and injury and
violence prevention and by sharing information with
parents and working in partnership with oral health
professionals.
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