The Preschooler and Family : Dental Health & Sleep

• Dental Health
  • Eruption of deciduous (primary) teeth is finalized by the beginning of the preschool years
  • Parents need to assist and supervise brushing and flossing to ensure it is performed correctly to prevent dental caries
  • Trauma to teeth is common in preschool-age children and should be immediately assessed by a dentist
• Sleep
  • Sleep patterns vary widely but average preschooler sleeps about 12 hours 
  • Preschool years are a primetime for sleep disturbances 
  • Maintaining rituals is important 
  • Preschoolers may have difficult differentiating between reality and fantasy 
  • Nightmares and night terrors are a common experience in preschoolers
  • Comparison of nightmares to sleep terrors