Infant oral health: a rationale

Because of their current knowledge about nursing caries, pit and fissure caries in toddlers, the effectiveness of pit and fissure sealants, fluorides, factors that influence dental caries, and the most recent and appropriate feeding and dietary recommendations, dentists are in a singular position to assist parents in rearing children who are caries-free. If we begin before the onset of that disease, our chances for success are greatly enhanced. Children's oral health should not be ignored or neglected until three years of age. Increasingly, parents of infants and toddlers are requesting preventive dental services for their children. As a profession we need to stand behind the American Society of Dentistry for Children's recommendation and be willing to provide preventive dental services for infants between six and twelve months of age. We are entering a new and wonderful era in dentistry where we have the opportunity to offer today's children the greatest potential for avoiding dental disease.