Jake had his first dentist appointment yesterday morning. You may be thinking it's a bit premature for this, but both the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and the ADA (American Dental Association) recommend a visit after the first tooth comes in or before the first birthday. Since Jake has seven teeth and they have been in for quite a while, we thought we'd go ahead and visit the pediatric dentist here in town. Basically they liken this initial visit to a healthy child well visit to the doctor, but for teeth! Jake loved playing in the waiting room and thought the decorations in the rooms were pretty cool. He didn't even mind when they brushed his teeth. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience, and we'll go back in six months.
Jake even got a new toothbrush and some new toothpaste to try. It's called Baby Bling, and it has a mild vanilla ice cream flavor. Needless to say, I think Jake enjoyed brushing his teeth more than usual last night. The best part about this toothpaste is that it has xylitol in it, which studies have shown decreases new tooth decay as well as reducing dental caries (cavities). The research is very exciting as it shows that the xylitol effect is long-lasting and possibly permanent (low decay rates persist even years after the trials are over). The studies also show that if I chew xylitol gum 2-3 times per day until Jake is two years old (technically I should have started when Jake was three months old), then he has the potential to have up to 70% fewer cavities by the time he's five than he would if I did not chew xylitol gum. Pretty amazing! I think I'll be researching 100% xylitol gum...
Checking out the hygienist's gloves.
Ready to get his teeth brushed:)
Fun decorations in his room.
The hygiene bay where older kids can get their teeth cleaned beside one another.
Jake showing off his mad teeth brushing skills:)
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