Oral Health for Infants: What Pediatricians and Pediatric NeoNatal Nursing Staff Need to Know

Abstract

This manuscript focuses on relevant and fundamental aspects of oral healthcare of the newborn and infant for the pediatrician
and nursing personnel. In almost all cases, these medical providers have first contact with babies and infants during the first year
of life and rarely does medical curricula include time or opportunity to provide exposure to fundamentals of oral health care. As
such it becomes important to provide pediatricians and neonatal nursing personnel with what will enable optimal oral health and
early recognition of oro-facial normalities vs. abnormalities, relevant risk assessment and management of dental caries, enamel
and tooth malformations, and common oral pathology. Discussion is primarily directed at issues that affect the newborn and early
toddler until which time that a relationship is established and a dental home with a pediatric dental specialist is identified.