February is Children’s Dental Health Month

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It’s February and you know what that means…National Children’s Dental Health Month! This month-long national health observance brings together thousands of dedicated professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others.

Did you know that cavities (also known as tooth decay) are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood? Untreated cavities can cause pain, infections, and can lead to problems eating, speaking, and learning. In the United States, about 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 11 years have at least one untreated decayed tooth. In children 12 to 19 years old, it is closer to 1 in 7.

From the data above, we know that cavities are quite common in youngsters. The good news though is that cavities are preventable! If you’re a parent or caregiver, read on for some easy ways to prevent your child from developing cavities.

When thinking about your child’s dental health, think about the P-E-A-R-L-S of Wisdom:

PROTECT tiny teeth. Hey moms—did you know that your child’s future oral health starts with you? A mother’s oral health status is a strong predictor of her children’s oral health status. Oral health during pregnancy and infancy is especially important to set little ones up for a lifetime of good health. Experts recommend regular dental checkups before and during pregnancy.

ENSURE to wipe your baby’s gums after each meal. Even before those first little teeth appear, proper oral hygiene is a must! Cleaning decay-causing bacteria from your baby’s mouth on a regular basis can act as a safeguard to help protect teeth that have not yet erupted.

AVOID putting babies to bed with a bottle. Tooth decay can occur when a baby is put to bed with a bottle. Infants should finish their naptime or bedtime bottle before going to bed.

REMEMBER to brush your child’s teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. For children younger than 2 years, consult with your dentist or doctor about when to start using fluoride toothpaste.

LIMIT drinks and food with added sugars for children. Encourage your child to eat more fruits and vegetables and have fewer fruit drinks, cookies, and candies. This gives your child the best possible start to good oral health.

SCHEDULE your child’s first dental visit by their first birthday or after their first tooth appears. Their tiny teeth matter! Check out one of our past blog posts for more information about why baby teeth matter.

For more tips on preventing cavities and promoting oral health, go to: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/childrens-oral-health/index.html.

Looking for resources?

Families with children ages five and younger can call Skagit County’s ABCD program at (360) 416-1500 for help finding dental care for their children. For families who quality, some benefits of the program include:

  • An initial dental exam
  • Two dental exams per year (6 months apart)
  • Three fluoride varnish applications per year
  • Two parent education sessions per child per year
  • Fillings and other dental work (as needed)  

For more information about the ABCD program, visit our webpage at: https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthFamily/dental.htm.

Every Step of the Way: National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Reading Time: 2 minutes

When we envision a newborn baby and mother, most people will instantly conjure up an image of mommy and baby sitting quietly in a cozy chair, looking at one another with love-filled eyes. Both are calm and content, happily playing their given roles.

For those who haven’t experienced infant feeding first-hand, it is no wonder that this image is considered the norm! This image of the peaceful pair is what is typically depicted in TV shows and movies. It is also—incredibly enough—the type of image that appears in so many pregnancy books and gynecologist offices.

It is not surprising that many parents first entering the journey of child-rearing expect the act of breastfeeding—or any feeding, for that matter—to be so much easier than it actually can be.

When I had my first child, I was astounded by the fact that it took my body two days to get the memo that the baby had been born. I sat up those first to nights in tears thinking that my baby would starve to death under my watchful care. Though I had read in the books that it could take a few days before one’s milk came in, when living it, all those words go right out of the window. And while those first few weeks were bumpy at best, it did get easier in time. 

Now, two children in and several years wiser, I know two things to be certain:

1. Breastfeeding can be extremely rewarding; and 

2. Breastfeeding can be extremely challenging!

This month, people across the United States are celebrating National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. While this is a time for people to celebrate the act of breastfeeding, it is also an opportunity for people to stop and think about what each and every one of us can do to make breastfeeding a bit easier for parents and caregivers.

In preparation for this year’s awareness month, a group of Skagitonians have gotten together to draft a proclamation declaring August as National Breastfeeding Month. In this proclamation, the Skagit County Breastfeeding Coalition recognizes the abundant health and bonding benefits of breastfeeding, while also recognizing how difficult breastfeeding can sometimes be for parents and caregivers in our community.

While I struggled to adjust to motherhood during those early days…the football hold, the latching, the midnight pumping, the many tears…I was thankful for the those who supported me in my breastfeeding journey. There are so many things that can act as a barrier to breastfeeding and can jeopardize a person’s chances at a happy and sustainable breastfeeding experience. Our friends, family, work environment, and policies can all affect the likelihood that a parent will continue to breastfeed; an important fact that was never once covered in my pregnancy books.

In Skagit County, there are resources and supports available to new parents—many of which are breastfeeding-positive and inclusive. That said, it is the hope of this proclamation, and this year’s Breastfeeding Awareness Month, that many barriers to breastfeeding that currently exist in our community are removed in the days, months, and years to come.

Are you pregnant, preparing for a baby, or a new parent?

For a list of local resources—classes, support groups, clinics, and home visiting programs—go to: https://skagitbreastfeeding.org/resources/.

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Proclamation Recognizing August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month | SKAGIT COUNTY
Tuesday, August 10th at 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
This event is open to the public!
Attend virtually: https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/CountyCommissioners/main.htm#A
Attend in-person: Commissioner’s Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Suite 100
Mount Vernon, WA 98273.
Masks are required for all individuals 5 years and older, regardless of vaccination status.

Why Do Baby Teeth Matter?

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Saying that new parents are mentally and emotionally overwhelmed is an understatement! Between nighttime feeding, colic, breast or bottle feeding, and sleep training, it is amazing that new moms and dads are capable of handling anything else during the first year!

It is easy to forget all the little details when life is changing so quickly; one of those things that gets forgotten may be your baby’s dental health. Whether your baby pops a few cute teeth right away or rocks a gummy grin for months, it is important to always keep dental—and gum—health in mind!

Those little chompers are doing more than just gnawing on baby teethers and bars of their crib. It may not be obvious why baby teeth are so important, especially since children lose them eventually anyway. But the reality is that these little teeth, and the behaviors that children develop in order to keep them clean, are vitally important to their long-term dental health. Baby teeth can actually impact the health and wellbeing of incoming adult teeth!

Here are some things to consider when thinking about your child’s baby teeth:

Tooth alignment and position

Baby teeth (or “primary teeth”) save space for adult teeth and help to guide the adult teeth into their proper position. So long as the teeth and gums remain healthy (and there are no serious accidents!), these primary teeth stay in place up until the adult teeth underneath are ready to erupt through the gums. 

If a baby tooth is lost early due to tooth decay, the adjacent teeth may drift or tip into that gap. The adult (or “permanent tooth”) then has less room to come in properly.

Speech and facial development

Everything in the mouth plays a part when it comes to forming sounds, including your tongue, cheeks, and teeth. The presence and positioning of baby teeth can impact your baby’s ability to form words correctly.

Tooth structure also provides support for the developing facial muscles and gives shape to your child’s face. A healthy mouth is a happy face! And who doesn’t love a cute little baby face?!

Healthy adult teeth

Permanent teeth develop under the gums, very close to the roots of baby teeth. Cavities can spread very quickly through the thin enamel of baby teeth and can be detrimental to the health of the adult teeth below. If cavities are left untreated, baby teeth can become infected, which can, in turn, cause further damage to the permanent tooth underneath.

Health and nutrition

If your baby is experiencing pain when they chew due to dental infection, this can lead to feeding issues. Nothing is worse than a cranky baby who won’t eat—especially since many times they cannot express why they are upset. Left unchecked, it can even result in nutritional deficiencies. Furthermore, if an infection spreads, it can impact other parts of the body.

Self-esteem and concentration

While your baby or young child may not care how goofy they look, eventually, their appearance will matter. Decayed or missing teeth can impact a child’s confidence, leading to low self-esteem and behavioral issues.

Dental health can also impact your child’s ability to concentrate. If a child is having dental pain, it can get in the way of them paying attention and learning in school. If emergency dental work is needed, this could mean missed school (and work for parents).

So, what should parents do?

It is recommended that parents schedule a dental checkup within 6 months of a child’s first tooth appearing and definitely by age one (regardless of how many teeth the child may have at this point). Why so early? As soon as teeth break through the gums, he or she can develop cavities.

Getting your child used to visiting the dentist from an early age is also a great way to begin developing a healthy relationship between your child and their dentist. It can be intimidating for a child to sit in a dentist chair and have a stranger looking around in their mouth! Parents can do a lot to help to dissipate any fears their young child may have.

Remember to get your child into the dentist at least once a year, if not twice! Routine dental checkups are important in order to prevent cavities and other oral health issues. These appointments also give parents the opportunity to learn more about healthy oral practices that they can encourage at home. 

Looking for resources?

Families with children ages five and younger can call Skagit County’s ABCD program at (360) 416-1500 for help finding dental care for their children. For families who quality, some benefits of the program include:

  • An initial dental exam
  • Two dental exams per year (6 months apart)
  • Three fluoride varnish applications per year
  • Two parent education sessions per child per year
  • Fillings and other dental work (as needed)  

For more information about the ABCD program, visit our webpage at: https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthFamily/dental.htm.

Wellness During the Postpartum Period

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Considering how difficult the postpartum period was with my first child–how much I struggled with my mental health for months on end—it was a wonder that my husband and I decided to take the plunge again. So when we finally decided to have a second, we were both on high alert for any signs of depression or anxiety.

I knew that I needed to be cautious this time; after all, women who have experienced postpartum depression with previous births are 10% to 50% more likely to experience it again. Even still, there were parts of me that were certain that this time would be different, and that the worst was behind us.

What I came to find is that with each new child brings new challenges, both as a mom and as an individual. In the case of my second child, I realized that the timing of her birth (and my subsequent maternity leave) was a challenge that I had not anticipated.

You see, my first child was born in April—a time of budding flowers and warming temperatures. My second? She was born mid-November. I think it rained consistently for the first three months of her life!

Now that she’s coming up on her first birthday, I am reflecting on my recent postpartum period. What were some things that I did to keep my mental health in check? How did I—despite the potential odds—manage to cope with a newborn, even during the gloomy months?

Here are some things that I did that may be helpful to any new, or expecting, mom (and dad!) out there:

Make a Plan

There is so much preparation before having a baby: buying all the essential baby items, reading the books, taking the classes. But how about making a wellness plan? Perinatal Support Washington has an awesome template that breaks down wellness into a few different categories.

After all, wellness isn’t just one thing. There are so many ways to build up one’s resilience. Thinking about yourself holistically is important; what are you made up of? Consider the brain, the body, and the spirit. All are important for your overall wellbeing.

Lean On Your Person

One of the categories in the wellness template is your Support Team. How important these people are! During these complicated times, my heart goes out to all the new moms and caregivers out there who may not have the physical support of a family member or loved one.

I encourage new parents to think creatively. Your Support Team might not look the way you’d expected or wanted. The support may not come in the form that you’d envisioned. But who is in your circle of trusted people that can be your ally? It can be a husband, partner, parent, neighbor, or friend. Heck—it can be your healthcare provider!

The most important thing is that you have someone who checks in and who watches for potential trouble. Go over your mental health red flags with these individuals before the big day: What do you look like, sound like, or act like when things are getting too hard? And if they begin to notice anything, they need to feel empowered to make the call.

Practice Self-Care (no, really!)

This is way more easily said than done. Here are just a few things that I recommend and that worked for me:

  • Create structure out of chaos: Babies love routine; providing a bit of structure can even enhance your baby’s development! While it may not be feasible to break your day (and night) down to the minute, it can be useful to write down a flexible schedule. This is especially helpful for the days that seem to drag on—when all you seem to be doing is feeding a baby, changing diapers, and running the laundry.
    Apps like Vroom or Bright By Text can help you to fill your routine by providing simple ideas for activities that you can do with your little one.
  • Go outside: I cannot overstate this enough! Even when the days are drizzly and cold, bundle up and get some fresh air. After all, infants are the perfect walking companion. An infant carrier or wrap will mimic the feeling of being safe and cozy in the womb, and it will also allow you to be hands-free for a moment.
    My gloomy-day recommendation is to look up while you walk, instead of staring at the pavement. When you are exhausted and overwhelmed, it can be easy to feel weighted down. Even when the clouds are thick and there is no sun in sight, keep your gaze up and look at the trees, houses, and scenery around you.
  • Breathe: This was the best advice my midwife gave me when I was first struggling with postpartum anxiety. It is also something that I’ve carried with me since then, for whenever I am feeling overwhelmed.
    When we’re stressed or anxious, we forget to breathe deeply. But this is the easiest—and perhaps most effective—way to put yourself at ease. Try a deep breathing exercise to calm your nerves. Try breathing in through your nose for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts, and exhale through your mouth for 6 counts. It really does help!
  • Take care of the essentials: This isn’t a novel idea, but it is also one of the first things that goes out the door when you bring a new baby home!
    YOU are the most important part of the equation. YOUR health and YOUR wellbeing directly impact your ability to care for your new baby. Eat well, drink lots of water, and try to get a little sleep. While it may not be eight (or even five) hour stretches, a 3-4 hour stretch can make a world of difference.
    A tip from me to you? Talk to your doctor about nutrition: What vitamins can help to elevate mood, and what foods are especially important during the postpartum period? Your body and hormones fluctuate on hyper-drive after giving birth, and eating well is so important.
  • Laugh and dance: I did not take this advice the first time around. I don’t think I laughed for six weeks after my first daughter was born. But with my second? I let my freak flag fly!
    Try doing something silly…after all, your baby won’t judge! Put some slippery socks on and see how far you can slide across your kitchen floor—just make sure to put the baby down first! Sing at the top of your lungs to songs that you haven’t heard since childhood, or listen to a funny podcast. You will find yourself laughing at yourself and the weird things that you do with little sleep and baby-brain. Embrace the weird.
    If all else fails, just smile. Smile at yourself in the mirror, smile at your baby, smile at your partner. Even if it feels phony at first, keep doing it!

Find Help

You are not alone in these feelings; it is normal to feel overwhelmed during the postpartum period. If nothing above seems to improve your mood, talk to your doctor. I urge you to not let mom guilt get in the way of your wellbeing—and I promise, there is little else stronger in this world than mom guilt.

Not ready to talk to a doctor just yet? That’s okay! There are resources available to you. Perinatal Support Washington’s website is a great place to start. Call or text their Warmline at 1-888-404-7763 to talk with a professional today.

Skagit County also has a great resource for new parents! Visit Welcome Baby to get connected up to local support groups, parenting classes, and assistance with basic needs.

You can and will get through this time. Yes, there are extra challenges right now and yes, the days seem long (and yet, so short). Even still, you are strong, capable, and so perfect for your little one. Give these tips a try, and give yourself some much needed grace.