Central California Alliance for Health | Living Healthy | September 2018

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY is published for the members and community partners of CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH, 1600 Green Hills Road, Suite 101, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, telephone 831-430-5500 or 1-800-700-3874, ext. 5505, website www.ccah-alliance.org. Information in LIVING HEALTHY comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2018 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Member Services Director Jan Wolf Editor Erin Huang Health Education Coordinator III Mao Moua Sandra Orozco Health Programs Manager Deborah Pineda www.ccah-alliance.org First tooth or first birthday = first visit with the dentist NEED HELP FINDING A DENTIST FOR YOUR BABY? Alliance Medi-Cal members can: ●  ● Call Denti-Cal at 1-800-322-6384 . ●  ● Visit www.denti-cal.ca.gov . ●  ● Ask for a referral from your baby’s doctor or pediatrician. You don’t have to wait for all of your baby’s teeth to arrive to get started on healthy oral habits. Tooth decay—the disease that causes cavities— is caused by germs in your mouth, so keeping your baby’s mouth clean (and yours too!) will help teeth stay strong and healthy. Just like in adults, healthy teeth help babies chew, talk, smile and feel good. And healthy baby teeth save room for grown-up teeth too. A first birthday gives you and your baby a lot to celebrate. Here are some tips to help your baby have a healthy mouth and teeth starting at an early age: ●  ● Take your baby to the dentist by his or her first birthday or when a first tooth appears— whichever comes first. ●  ● Keep sugary drinks, such as juice, out of your baby’s bottle. ●  ● Don’t let your baby fall asleep with a bottle or sip from a bottle or cup all day. At about 6 months, start using a cup so that a bottle won’t be needed by the baby’s first birthday. ●  ● As your baby’s teeth arrive, start brushing twice a day with a little dab of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). ●  ● Ask your baby’s pediatrician or dentist about fluoride varnish. This is a benefit covered by Medi-Cal for children newborn to 5 years. Three services are allowed in a 12-month period. Like other healthy habits, caring for your mouth and teeth starts early and lasts a lifetime. Help your baby have a great start—and take care of your own too!