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• Healthy Habits In Child Care For Good Dental Health
• Are children given healthy foods instead of sugary items for snacks - vegetables, yogurt, peanut butter, fruits instead of cookies and other starchy foods?


• Does the program serve only 100% fruit juice?


• Is drinking water readily available throughout the day? (reduces the acid in the mouth, acid contributes to cavities)


• Do children brush their teeth after meals and snacks? The younger the child, the more the caregiver should help the child with brushing. Preschool children do not have the fine motor skills to brush properly on their own.


• If brushing is not possible, do children rinse out their mouths with water?



• For children 2 and over, there should be regular educational activities on topics related to good dental care appropriate to their age, such as:


• Healthy eating that builds good teeth.
• Good brushing skills.
• What happens during a dental visit and why dental visits are important.
• What is plaque.

For older children, topics should include:

• Flossing.
• What are dental sealants.
• Effect of tobacco -chewing and smoking - on teeth and gums.
• Importance of mouth guards.


• Safety Issues with Dental Care


• Toddlers should not carry bottles around with them (to prevent injury to mouth, ear infections, and dental cavities).


• Each child should have their own toothbrush, labeled and appropriate to the child's age. No sharing or borrowing should be allowed.


• Each child should have their own toothpaste tube. If toothpaste is from one large tube for all children, then the toothpaste should be given out on a clean piece of paper instead of directly on the toothbrush to prevent sharing of germs.


• Caregivers should wash their hands before helping a child with brushing.


• If a child's gums are bleeding, then the caregiver should wear gloves when helping them with brushing their teeth.


• Most first aid for the mouth involves blood, and therefore gloves for the caregiver should be readily available.



Hint: Caregivers should consider wearing a zippered waist pack containing gloves and other basic first aid supplies while they are on the job. This could save precious time in the event of an emergency.



• If A Dental Emergency Occurs At Child Care


• Does the caregiver know how to determine the seriousness of a dental emergency?


Note: Knowing what to do, and when to do it, helps a person to stay calm, act quickly and keep other children safe during an emergency. See Also Emergency Preparedness Section


• Does the caregiver have a plan for handling the following types of dental related problems/emergencies?


• Core sores.
• Toothaches.
• Broken braces/wires.
• Cut or bitten tongue, lip, or cheek.
• Knocked-out permanent tooth.
• Broken tooth.
• Broken jaw.
• Bleeding after a baby tooth falls out.


Hint: Print out this Good Dental Health Practices information sheet: http://nrckids.org/dentalchecklist.pdf and discuss with your caregiver.


• Does the caregiver have a plan for how to transport a child with a dental emergency to the nearest source of emergency dental care? (For a family home caregiver, that plan could be call 911, if the substitute or parents are not readily available.)


• Does the caregiver have current contact information on each child's dental provider (dentist, dental clinic)?


• If an emergency calls for a cold pack, is ice covered in a protective bag and never placed directly on the skin or gums?



• Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay


• Does the caregiver always hold the infant while giving the infant a bottle?


• Are children only fed a bottle during mealtimes? Children should not be allowed to walk around with a bottle or use the bottle as a pacifier.


• Are children taught to drink from a cup as soon as possible?


• Are baby's gums and any teeth wiped cleaned after every feeding?



Note: Water and a soft toothbrush are recommended after a child has 7 or 8 teeth.


See Additional Resources Section for more information