Why so early!?
Dental caries is an infectious disease that spreads from tooth to tooth. Regular and early dental visits allow your child to begin a thorough prevention program. Dental problems can begin early but most dental problems can be prevented or corrected with early intervention. Of prime concern to the pediatric dentist is Early Childhood Caries (nursing bottle caries). A child risks severe decay from using a bottle or sippy cup during naps, at night, or when continuously breast-feeding. Earlier dental visits improve the chances of preventing dental problems. Your child’s primary teeth (baby) serve many important functions including allowing for proper speech and mastication (chewing), and holding space for permanent teeth.
Did you know that tooth decay is the most common childhood disease? Early evaluation and preventive care can help protect your child’s teeth now and in the future. There are dental problems that can occur, even at this age. The most common is Early Childhood Caries (previously known as Baby Bottle Syndrome or Nursing Caries). When a child uses a bottle frequently, including naptime and bedtime, or when they nurse continuously, they increase the risk of Early Childhood Caries. The early dental visit allows us to help prevent these dental problems.
Unless you’re more than 94 years old, you haven’t experienced a Lenten season this early in your entire life Ash Wednesday is Feb. 6. It’s all predicated on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is always the first Sunday, following the first full moon, following the vernal equinox (the beginning of spring). The vernal equinox is the evening of March 20, which the Church recognizes to be March 21. The earliest Easter can come, then, is March 22. Accordingly, the earliest Ash Wednesday can come is Feb. 5. The last time Ash Wednesday fell as early as Feb. 6 was 1913. The last time it fell on Feb. 5 was 1818.
