STORY: TODDLER CAVITIES
SCRIPT
#516 SHOOT: 6/12/03
AIRDATE: Monday, June 23, 2003
Daybreak and Midday During the hot summer months, you might think sugary Popsicles or ice cream causes lots of cavities in young children, especially during the hot summer months.
But studies point to another culprit, one
some parents don’t think about---MILK.
Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of
Dentistry has details in today’s segment of Dental Health Check.
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SOVT: 1:26
JACOB IN DENTAL CHAIR (VOICE-OVER)
SUPER: Dallas :02-05 For more than five hours, little Jacob
is undergoing extensive dental work.
He has
five cavities from drinking
milk in
a bottle at bedtime.
SUPER: Teresa Sledge (“Even though we were brushing his
Jacob’s Mother teeth before going to bed, when I gave
him the bottle at night, the milk was
sitting on his teeth and during that time,
it was decaying and causing those
cavities.”)
ON CAMERA (STAND-UP BRIDGE)
SUPER: Dr. Linda Niessen Even if you faithfully brush your
Baylor College of Dentistry toddler’s teeth, giving your child a
bottle of milk or juice at bedtime could
drastically increase the chance of a
cavity, a cavity that can be quite
complicated to treat.
GENERAL ANESTHESIA (VOICE-OVER)
JACOB GETTING CAVITIES FILLED
Young kids with painful cavities often
require general anesthesia, or a less
risky procedure called IV sedation.
Filling even one cavity can become
a major ordeal.
Page 2
SUPER: Dr. Carolyn Wilson (“Two year olds really can’t understand
Pediatric Dentist why you are treating them and why they
have to hold still and their attention
spans are pretty short. “)
CHILD UNDER ANESTHESIA So good oral health saves both child and
parent a lot of anquish.
Here are a few things parents can do to
prevent cavities.
Preventing Toddler Cavities Start brushing teeth as soon as you see
Start brushing as you as you see teeth them.
Avoid putting sweet liquids in bottle Avoid putting anything sweet in a
at naptime or bedtime bottle before a nap or bedtime.
Move to cup as soon as possible And move from a bottle to a cup
as soon as possible.
ON CAMERA (STAND-UP CLOSE)
If your toddler has trouble going to bed
without the bottle, here’s the safest
approach, only put water in the bottle.
For Baylor College of Dentistry,
Texas A & M System, I’m Dr. Linda
Niessen, Channel 8 News.
FOR WEBSITES:
For more information
about baby bottle tooth
decay: visit the American
Dental Association website:
Click on public oral health topics:
Under “B” topics:
click on Baby bottle tooth decay