Healthy smiles start with healthy baby teeth.
First dental visit
before first tooth
or first birthday.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
recommends your child’s
first visit to the dentist by
age 1 and then every six
months.
Tooth decay is the
most common
chronic childhood
disease … but it is
preventable.
Children with tooth decay struggle with speaking and chewing correctly, as well as having low self-esteem and confidence. Parents and caregivers can help prevent this by brushing teeth twice per day and knowing that healthy nutritional habits support healthy teeth.
Healthy baby teeth
form healthy adult
teeth.
Baby teeth hold space in
their jaws for permanent
teeth that are growing
under the gums.
63% of our county’s
kindergartners have experienced
tooth decay.
But First 5 San Bernardino and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Oral Health Program Smile SBC want you to know that parents and caregivers can help their child develop healthy adult teeth with an easy dental routine.
- Brush, floss and visit the dentist regularly.
- Brush teeth two times a day.
- For babies, wipe gums twice a day. Use a soft, clean cloth to help wipe away cavity-causing sugars.
Watch video of San Bernardino County and SmileSBC visiting a local elementary school.
Listen to an interview about Little Teeth, Big Responsibility on KVCR-FM with First 5 San Bernardino’s oral health partner Smile SBC!
Even though they will lose
them, baby teeth are very
important to a child’s
health and development.
They help children chew,
speak and smile correctly.
Resources
We are here for you! Check out these oral health resources that
can be fun for you and your child:
Smile SBC (Featured Partner) – Visit SmileSBC.org to find a dentist near you.
Sesame Street – A collection of Brush Those Teeth games and videos is sure to get your child excited about brushing their teeth!
American Academy of Pediatrics – The organization’s Brush, Book, Bed program includes teeth brushing as an important step of a child’s nighttime routine. A downloadable poster and flyer can help to remember these steps!
California Department of Public Health – A downloadable Pregnancy & Dental Care fact sheet for expectant mothers emphasizes the
importance of oral health during pregnancy. Did you know that oral health can lead to poor health outcomes for the mother and baby?