As a mom, you want your toddler to have the best of everything, including healthy teeth. You also want to spare her the difficulties that can come with cavities, which might form when milk, soft drinks, raisins, cake, candy and other foods containing sugars and starches are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria in your child’s mouth thrive on these foods and produce acids that, over time, can destroy tooth enamel and cause tooth decay, or cavities.
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First, the good news: the number of Americans who smoke cigarettes has been declining for the past 25 years, with about one in five now saying they smoke¹. The bad news? Exposure to secondhand smoke can pose serious health risks to children, especially those under age two. If you or someone in your household smokes, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you quit. Babies who breathe secondhand smoke have higher risks of ear infections, upper respiratory infections, tooth decay and sudden baby death syndrome (SIDS)².

 

¹ “U.S. Smoking Rate Still Coming Down,” by Lydia Saad, http://www.gallup.com/poll/109048/us-smoking-rate-still-coming-down.aspx, July 24, 2008.

² "Secondhand Tobacco Smoke," http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/tobacco.cfm, Updated May 04, 2010.

³ "Secondhand Smoke", http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/secondhand-smoke

Applying for your baby’s Social Security number may be the last thing on your mind, but the Social Security Administration recommends it at birth. It is voluntary, free and will allow you to claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return, obtain medical coverage for her, buy savings bonds in her name and open a bank account for her. You can apply at the same time you apply for your baby’s birth certificate or apply later at a Social Security office.

 

Source:
“Social Security Numbers For Children,” http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10023.html