Age-appropriate Oral Health Anticipatory Guidance
| Stage |
Summary of Anticipatory Guidance |
| Infancy (Prenatal to 11 months) |
- Health care professionals ask questions about maternal diet, good oral health hygiene, and attendance at regular dental checkups to set the stage for optimal child oral health.
- In the early months of infancy, guidance focuses on
- Holding the infant while feeding
- Never putting an infant to bed with a bottle
- Using a cloth or soft toothbrush with tap water and a small smear of toothpaste to gently clean gums and new teeth
- As an infant reaches 6 months, guidance expands to include
- Introducing fluoride varnish and fluoridated water or fluoride supplements
- Minimizing exposure to natural or refined sugars in the infant’s mouth
- Weaning off bottles as the infant approaches 12 months
- Discussing the recommendation of no juice until age 1 year
- Finding a dental home
|
| Early Childhood (1 to 4 years) |
- Routines are a critical component of early childhood. Health care professionals support families by reinforcing tooth brushing as a routine conducted twice daily.
- At the 12-month health supervision visit, health care professionals focus on the importance of a dental home, providing information about what families can expect.
- Health care professionals continue to emphasize
- Eating a healthy diet
- Avoiding sweetened food and beverages
- Keeping bottles out of cribs or beds
- Avoiding sippy cups with juice
- Using fluoride varnish and fluoridated water or fluoride supplements
|
| Middle Childhood(5 to 10 years) |
- Oral health is integrated into larger discussions of children’s physical growth and development, which are priority areas in health supervision visits.
- Health care professionals continue to focus on
- Oral health hygiene (daily tooth brushing and flossing)
- Connections to a dental home
- The importance of caring for permanent teeth
- Limiting sweetened beverages and snacks
- The importance of dental sealants
- As children become engaged in contact sports, health care professionals emphasize the importance of using a mouth guard.
|
| Adolescence (11 to 21 years) |
- Similar to the middle childhood years, oral health is integrated into the priority areas of physical health and development.
- Health care professionals shift conversations during adolescent years to help them understand the importance of
- Routine oral health hygiene (daily tooth brushing and flossing)
- Limiting soda and sweetened beverages
- Reducing in-between meal snacks
- Chewing sugarless gum
- Using a mouth guard during contact sports
- In later adolescence health supervision visits, health care professionals begin conversations about smoking and drug use that can impact oral health.
|
Hagan JF, Shaw JS, Duncan PM, eds. Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2017