My experience shows me that most people have no idea how extensive and  prevalent EARLY CHILDHOOD TOOTH DECAY is.   This disease takes 12 to 36 months to develop then becomes worse in the following months and dental abscesses develop leading to expensive and extensive dental treatment.   Many times the treatment is performed in a hospital operating room under general anesthesia.   This often costs thousands of dollars and is stressful for the parents.   

This can be avoided by taking your child to a pediatric dentist for their first dental appointment on their 1st birthday and using the Dr. Branams Xylitol toothpaste and gel by the entire family.   At minimum all of the children should use the Dr Branams Xylitol products. 

You should actually Google Images of Early Childhood tooth decay    and see for yourself the extent of the infection and the appearance of the teeth.  This can be avoided or minimized.  Please keep in mind the importance of the pediatric dental visit on your child's first birthday.   

Yours for better oral and dental health.   
Dr. Steve Branam 

It is so important to gave good habits and routines.   Actually, forming  both of them begins at birth.  Studies reveal that only 47% of all people in America  brush their teeth at bedtime.   This is the most important time to brush your teeth.   Tooth decay is a DISEASE CAUSED BY BACTERIA.  Parents transfer their bacteria to their children.   I interview parents daily inmy office, and many parents do not begin to brush their child's until one year of age.  This is a big mistake,  because getting Tooth decay is a process that occurs over time (months and years).  I am seeing more and more toddlers 3 years of age and younger who already have tooth decay.   

Here are my recommendations for a bedtime routine. 

1.  Bathe your child in an infant tub or bath tube depending upon their age 
2.  Put on their pajamas 
3.  Let them breastfeed or take their bedtime bottle of milk or formula
4.  Hold or cuddle them for bonding 
5.   If they have no teeth, rub or massage their gums with your finger ot a soft wash cloth 
6. If they have teeth, use a finger toothbrush or regular child toothbrush and brush their teeth with Dr Branams Xylitol toothpaste or tooth gel.   
7.  Leave the  toothpaste in the mouth 
8.  Read a book to the child or just rock and comfort them and put them in bed.

3 habits you should NOT do.
1.  Breastfeed or bottle feed them to sleep and put them in bed without brushing the teeth 
2.  Give the baby or toddler a baby bottle or Sippy cup of milk,  formula,  or juice in the middle of the night to get them to go back to sleep 
3.  Do not breastfeed throughout the night at will

Giving these 3 habits to your children will increase the risk of early tooth decay by 300%.  

Lastly,  all parents should brush their own teeth at bedtime using Dr Branams Xylitol toothpaste and leave it in your mouth.  DON'T  RINSE OR SPIT IT OUT.  This will lower your tooth decay causing bacteria by 72 %.  You will improve your oral health and decrease the transfer of bacteria to your children.   

Remember that tooth decay is a DISEASE that affects the entire family and is INTERGENERATIONAL.  These benefits will last a lifetime.  I hope that this truthful information is helpful.

Yours for better oral health for your entire family 
Dr. Steve Branam 

There is an incredible amount of SUGAR in the American diet.   Most people are unaware of this, and the food and beverage manufacturers do a good job of hiding it.  There are natural sugars and processed sugars.  There are  healthy sugars and unhealthy sugars.     

Natural sugar is just as harmful to your teeth and general health as processed sugar.  The most common HARMFUL natural sugars are maltose, fructose,  and sucrose.  These most commonly in juices        ( apple, orange,  lemon, grape, etc) There are a few others that I will let you discover for yourself.  There are also processed sugars such as fructose corn syrup,  sucralose,  and others.   Artificial sweetness such as Equal, Sweet n Low , and Splenda are also NOT  healthy.    They "trick your body into thinking" it is getting sugar.   Diet beverages containing these ingredients can actually cause weight gain and obesity.   

Healthy sugars are XYLITOL and STEVIA.  They are digested in the stomach,  NOT the mouth.   90% of natural and unhealthy sugars are digested in the mouth which causes tooth decay and diabetes.  Especially in young children these unhealthy sugars can cause hyper activity and increase the symptoms and behavior of those on the AUTISM SPECTRUM.   

A recent long trem study results were the following:   If you introduce juice into your child's diet BEFORE the second birthday,  you increase the risk of tooth decay by 3 TIMES.  I my experience thto most common juices given to toddlers are apple juice and "juicy juice."  Just an FYI, chocolate milk has much more sugar than white milk.  Diluting juice wit water my seem like a good idea,  but it is still juice.   Get you child in the habit of drinking some plain water daily after their first  birthday and have the first dental exam.  By a pediatric dentist also. 

When you buy food and beverages,  please read the ingredients on the BACK OF THE PACKAGING.  The  label on the front is marketing to get you to buy the product.  The label on the back gives you the HEALTHY facts for you to make an informed purchase for your FAMILY.   

I hope that this truthful information is helpful and will benefit your oral and general health for Generations to Come.

Yours for TRUTHFUL INFORMATION,  
Dr Steve Branam