Your Child's Teeth: A Complete Guide for Parents

by Evelina Weidman Sterling, Angie Best-Boss

Overview

The only comprehensive book on children's teeth written for adults.

Children's dental health involves much more than a toothbrush. Dental disease is the number one chronic childhood illness, and avoiding dental disease means paying scrupulous attention to our children's teeth.

In Your Child's Teeth, health writers Evelina Weidman Sterling and Angie Best-Boss team up with pediatric dentists and oral health experts to answer parents' many questions about children's teeth. Topics include:
• how thumb sucking and pacifiers affect teeth
• how to brush your young children's teeth
• how to calm a child who is afraid of the dentist
• how to help special needs children get proper dental care
• how medical problems affect teeth
• how fluoride rinses and dental sealants work
• how a root canal is done
• how to make the orthodontia decision

This book will help parents help children develop good dental habits for a lifetime of healthy teeth—from baby's first tooth to the young adult's shining smile.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421410623
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	11/20/2013
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 6.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Evelina Weidman Sterling, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an educator in the field of public health and the author of several award-winning books on health.

Table of Contents

Foreword Fern Ingber, M.Ed. vii

Preface ix

Part I Introduction

Chapter 1 A Guide to Your Child's Teeth 3

Chapter 2 Basic Care and Cleaning 12

Chapter 3 The Dental Visit 27

Chapter 4 Preventing Decay and Protecting Teeth 45

Chapter 5 Affording Dental Care for Your Child 60

Part II Ages and Stages

Chapter 6 Pregnancy and Your Baby's Teeth 75

Chapter 7 Infants and Toddlers (Newborn to Age 4) 84

Chapter 8 Early Childhood (Ages 5 to 8) 99

Chapter 9 Middle Childhood (Ages 9 to 12) 113

Chapter 10 Teenagers and Young Adults (Ages 13+) 120

Chapter 11 Children with Special Health Needs 131

Part III Dental and Oral Health Problems

Chapter 12 Tooth Decay 149

Chapter 13 Gum Disease 161

Chapter 14 Tooth Sensitivity and Pain 168

Chapter 15 Conditions of the Mouth, Tongue, and Jaw 177

Chapter 16 Orthodontics 201

Chapter 17 Tooth Appearance 221

Chapter 18 Dental Trauma and Emergencies 229

Chapter 19 Oral Surgery, Extractions, and Root Canals 239

Chapter 20 Dental Anxiety 257

Appendix. My Child's Dental Health Record 267

Glossary 269

Additional Resources 273

Index 275

What People are Saying About This

John K. Taylor

Parents and other early-life caregivers influence how healthy our mouths will be throughout our lifetime. There is no greater influence on dental health than those who teach us how to care for and maintain our teeth. This book will benefit children by focusing on prevention—the most effective tool for improving dental health.

From the Publisher

This complete guide to children’s oral health for parents and caregivers is a powerful tool in improving the oral health of our nation and eliminating preventable pediatric dental disease for future generations.
—Fern Ingber, President and CEO, National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, America’s ToothFairy

Parents and other early-life caregivers influence how healthy our mouths will be throughout our lifetime. There is no greater influence on dental health than those who teach us how to care for and maintain our teeth. This book will benefit children by focusing on prevention—the most effective tool for improving dental health.
—John K. Taylor, III, DDS

Fern Ingber

This complete guide to children’s oral health for parents and caregivers is a powerful tool in improving the oral health of our nation and eliminating preventable pediatric dental disease for future generations.

Editorial Reviews

Packed with useful information, this is indeed an accessible and 'complete' guide.
—Publisher's Weekly

Although the book has been developed for the American parent... it is relevant to parents within the UK. This is indeed a 'complete' guide.
—J. Kirby, British Dentist Journal

From the Publisher

10/21/2013
Weidman Sterling, a public health educator, and health writer/patient advocate Best-Boss cover everything parents need to know from pregnancy (good nutrition helps a baby develop healthy teeth) to young adulthood in this wide-ranging text. Noting that oral health is strongly linked to overall health, the authors cite the alarming statistic that 60% of American kids are affected by tooth decay, a figure that has increased during the past 15 years. Chronic oral infection, they warn, can lead to heart disease and diabetes, and dental neglect can also result in trouble concentrating in school and psychological problems. The authors walk parents through the ages and stages of tooth care, in separate chapters addressing infants and toddlers, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence and young adulthood. They include current information on topics including: what to expect at dental visits; the use of fluoride and x-rays; the going rate for the tooth fairy; and the risks of tongue piercing. A chapter on special needs children emphasizes the importance of preparing kids for and keeping up with dental visits. Orthodontics and practical advice about dental insurance is also offered, as well as a chapter on dental anxiety, with tips on how to help children overcome their fears. Packed with useful information, this is indeed an accessible and “complete” guide. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Although the book has been developed for the American parent... it is relevant to parents within the UK. This is indeed a 'complete' guide.

British Dentist Journal - J. Kirby

11/15/2013
Consumer health writers Sterling and Best-Boss team with the National Children's Oral Health Foundation to give parents a complete look at teeth—what's normal, what's cause for worry, and everything related to common circumstances such as cavities, braces, hygiene, etc. Incorporating many sidebars, lots of Q&As, and considerations for children with special needs, the authors do an excellent job of making a boring topic approachable. They dedicate an entire chapter to affording dental care and include useful suggestions for receiving care on a budget. VERDICT While many of us shudder at the mere word dentist, this is a helpful book to have on hand. There is a lack of published titles on pediatric oral health aimed at the general reader, so libraries should consider this offering essential.

Library Journal