It used to be that women smoked during their pregnancies,
that infants were carried on a parent’s lap in a moving car, and that children
rode bikes without helmets. All of these
sound like stories that my parents told me, but why don’t we do those things
anymore? It can’t just be because a parent told us not to, or that we “know
better” now. And it’s unlikely the anti-tobacco
lobby is out-campaigning Big Tobacco to reduce smoking during pregnancy, it is
more likely the reduction of pre-term delivery, surrounding complications and
decrease risk of SIDS. The CDC states car seat use reduces the risk for death
to infants by 71%[1]
and bicycle helmets reduce the risk of brain injury from a moderate speed crash
from 99% to less than 10%[2],
amazing! Even with all these statistics, the simple answers to why we don’t do
these things anymore are all pretty similar – making a change in our behaviour
results in better health outcomes for our offspring.
The problem is that even though the recommendations are
pretty clear on car seat use for example, what is the probability that using a
car seat will help your child? If you never get in an accident and are gentle
in your actions, again the risks are low, but how can you predict that you will
never be in a car accident? You simply cannot, statistics are against you, unless
you’re a gambler, but I am not encouraging leaving your child’s well being to
chance. The changes in recommendations must be considered on a population
level, not at the individual level.
What does all of this have to do with the title, Why First
Tooth, First Visit? Just because
historically children were not seen by a dentist until the age of three or
older does not mean it is in the child’s best interest. Early visits, at the
time of a child’s first tooth can help provide the tools and resources to
families that lead to a lifetime of good oral health. Just like the investment
of a car seat, early dental visits can help give you the information required
to lead your children to safety. Think of the well child visits that a paediatrician
or family doctor recommends, and add one more wellness check to the list: When
you see your child’s first tooth, your child should see a dentist.
Dr. Daniel Charland
BMSc, DDS, MS, Cert. Ped. Dent., FRCD(C)
Dr. Daniel is a
certified Pediatric Dentist, he is the owner of Burlington Pediatric Dentistry
and Adjunct Professor at University of The Pacific.
[1]
Durbin, D. R. (2011). Technical report—Child passenger safety. Pediatrics,
127(4). Advance online publication. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-0215
[2] Cripton, P.A.et al. (2014) . Bicycle helmets are highly effective at preventing
head injury during head impact: head-form accelerations and injury criteria for
helmeted and unhelmeted impacts. Accid
Anal Prev. Sep;70:1-7.
