The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Jia Bit Pry DENTAL eee My 1st 2 Teeth... My 1st Dental Visit ADVERTORIAL Our Family Dentists at Port Perry Dental Associates are offering a free check up and cleaning for all new patients aged four and under for their first visit. My 1st Step... The importance of good oral hygiene for children cannot be stressed enough. It's as easy as 1,2,3 for parents to initiate positive, lifelong habits, which will help protect their children’s teeth from future problems. Port Perry Dental Associates would like to remind you that it is never too early to be concerned about baby’s oral health, even before the first teeth erupt. Around six months of age, teething begins. This is an important milestone, inspiring parents to get out the camera to capture the historic moment! It's right up there with photographing baby’s first step! Here's the usual pattern of primary teeth eruption. The two bottom central incisors usually appear first, followed by the top four front teeth. Teeth most commonly erupt in pairs. By the time the child is 2% to 3 years old, they are sporting their whole set of primary teeth. There are 20 “baby” teeth in all, 10 on the top and 10 on the bottom. ‘When is the best time to start caring for baby leetti? As soon as they make their adorable appeai Port Perry Dental Associates’ advice is to use 2 ame, clean washcloth to remove the film of bacteria from the infants’ teeth. Gently wipe all the nooks and crannies once a day. Asmall smear of fluoride toothpaste is all you need to brush the teeth of a two-year-old. A soft, child-sized toothbrush is recommended When is the ideal time for the first dental visit? As soon as there are teeth to check. At Port Perry Dental Associates, we know how to make both the infant and parent comfortable with the experience of getting a dental check up. We can discuss any concerns the caregivers may have regarding the child’s history, development, teething, sucking, risk factors for cavities and the formation of the child’s bite. The idea is to event future problems by being proactive early when it comes to dental care. By age six, a child may have adequate coordination to take over some of the tooth brushing responsibility for his or her own teeth, with a parent's help and supervision. It’s easy to instill the lifelong healthy habit of tooth brushing at a young age. Like adults, children can enjoy the immediate reward of that fresh breath feel. Our family friendly team at Port Perry Dental Associates invites you to bring your children for a check |p soon. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to say tose two little words, which are music to our patients’ rs: “No cavities!” 462 Paxton Street, Port Perry Located across from the hospital in the Medical Associates builé 905-985-8459 www.dentistportperry.com EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE FOCUS - JULY 2013 37