Reducing the Risk
Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Untreated caries can lead to local and systemic complications, such as:
- Infections (Dental abscess, facial cellulitis, brain abscess)
- Pain
- Nutrition and growth changes
- Sleep dysfunction
- Poor self-esteem
Caregivers can decrease their own caries levels by:
- Receiving regular comprehensive dental care, including during pregnancy
- Limiting the frequency of sugar in the diet
- Maintaining excellent oral hygiene
- Using preventive agents, such as prescribed mouth rinses and Xylitol-containing gums
Facial Cellulitis
References
US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral health in America. A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health; 2000.Â
Ramos-Gomez FJ, Weintraub JA, Ganskyet SA, et al. Bacterial, behavioral and environmental factors associated with early childhood caries. Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. 2002; 26(2):165-173.
Douglass JM, LI Y, Tinanoff N. Systematic review of the association between mutans streptococci in primary caregivers and mutans streptococci and dental caries in their children. Pediatric Dentistry 2008, 30(5):375-387.
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Guideline on Perinatal Oral Health Care. Revised 2011. 33(6): 118-123.