Dentistr and You 4/16/2013 8:01:00 PMBy gloria Dentistry and You PRESERVING YOUR BODY: HOW GOOD IS YOUR ORAL HEALTH? Oral health is a necessity, but not always seen as such. Carious, broken down teeth and periodontal disease can cause infection, which, when untreated, will impact speech, digestion, swallowing, respiration, and become a potential for debilitation and even death. That being said, here are some early preventative methods to protect and maintain oral health. Children should be taken to the dental office as early as one year of age. Tooth brushing should be started as soon as the first teeth appear in the mouth. Cleaning of teeth for children can be with moist gauze sponge, without toothpaste for the infant up to age two. Toothpaste should not exceed the amount of a small pea. Bottles must not be used as a pacifier/comforter. The meal should be completed and the bottle removed. Children should not b allowed to fall asleep with a bottle, especially if it contains sugary or acidic fluids. The last activity before bedtime for infant, child or adult should be a thorough cleaning of the oral cavity including teeth, gum, and tongue. Keep lips as moist as possible. Remember, the full complement of primary teeth, also called “baby teeth”, is twenty (20). All 20 are usually in the oral cavity by age 2 years. All of the “baby teeth” are usually lost by age 11 – 12 years, and replaced by the permanent teeth. The first permanent teeth are usually the mandibular, (lower), first molars which erupt into the oral cavity behind the last lower primary molar at approximately 6 years of age. The first permanent molars are usually lost at an early age, prematurely because parents/caregivers do not realize that they are part of the new PERMANENT teeth that will never be replaced! How many of these dental facts/preventative methods were you aware of? Send your questions to the editor. Remember, the body is made up of many parts: “A BODY ISN’T JUST A SINGLE PART BLOWN UP INTO SOMETHING HUGE. IT’S ALL THE DIFFERENT-BUT-SIMILAR PARTS ARRANGED AND FUNCTIONING TOGETHER.” (The Message, 1 Corinthians 12:13). The mouth is just as important as any other part of the body! Until the next dental presentation, enjoy life, eat well, and keep a clean, healthy mouth! By Dr. Opal Goodwich.