Flash your smile!

Show off those pearly whites.February is National Children's Dental Health Month and the American Dental Association and area dentists want to make sure parents remember the importance of keeping their children's teeth healthy."Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children to get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums," the ADA states.That means brushing for 2 minutes, twice a day, as well as flossing once a day may help a child stop problems before they start.Keri Gallagher, office manager at Mahoning Valley Family Dental Care, said that this month is a great way to shine a light on the need for proper child dental care to prevent problems and catch any issues early on. Doing this is key to making sure a child's smile isn't compromised for years to come.Children should be seen by a dentist around age 1 or when their first tooth comes in to start them on the right track, she said."One of the first things we do (at a checkup) is talk about diet and habits with brushing at home," Gallagher said. "Make sure they are limiting sugary drinks and fruit snacks. We always say to drink water between meals and only give juice and milk at meal time when you are producing more saliva to wash off your teeth faster."Danielle Hilton, dental hygienist for Healthy Smiles, Happy Kids dental van in Carbon County, agrees.The operation, manned by Hilton, Dr. Sheila Smith and dental assistant Casey Kennedy, provides regular dental exams to around 1,100 children twice a year in the five Carbon County school districts, as well as Tamaqua and Mahanoy area school districts who are on Medicaid.Hilton said that she, Smith and Kennedy reinforce to the children they see that cutting back on candy and juices, focusing on the gums when brushing and getting in for regular checkups can help them as they grow and develop in many ways.But even with prevention, problems can still arise."About 60 percent of children will have had some form of tooth decay by age 5, making it one of the most common diseases among children in the United States," said the Pennsylvania Dental Association.One major issue, both Gallagher and Hilton said the dental practices see, is that there is a misconception in parents in thinking that baby teeth aren't as important to care for as adult teeth since they will eventually fall out."Baby teeth can have all the same problems as adult teeth," Gallagher said. "Maintenance and keeping up on things can prevent a lot of problems."Cavities can lead to problems with the nerve where they could need root canals or pulpotomy in baby teeth," she added. "Teeth can have an abscess and get infected just like adult teeth, so they're just as important."While baby teeth may begin to fall out around 5 years old, Hilton said, depending on what tooth is infected, it may mean years before that baby tooth falls out, which can result in an infection brewing for a long period of time, possibly creating more problems with the adult tooth that is still forming under the gum."The biggest misconception is where parents think it is a baby tooth it will fall out, it's OK," Hilton said. "Dental hygiene affects the whole body. If you're having decay, that's an infection and it's going into the bloodstream. Any kind of cavity on a child's tooth, that enamel is a lot thinner so it becomes a bigger situation a lot faster."