Ask a Hygienist

Welcome to Ask a Hygienist, a project developed by Kern County Children’s Dental Health Network for parents to answer questions about dental hygiene care for children ages 0-5 or the role of a dental hygienist.

Susan McCracken , RDHAP , worked as a dental assistant prior to becoming a dental hygienist 11 years ago. She worked in private practice as an RDH before coming to KCCDHN five years ago. She holds and AA degree in liberal arts from Taft College and an AS degree with a certificate in Dental Hygiene, also from Taft College. She earned her AP license from West LA College in 2004. In addition to working for KCCDHN, Susan is also a part-time clinical instructor at Taft College.


Question #1:  My husband never got his front teeth.  So far, our daughter’s front teeth have not grown in either.  Will she be missing hers, too?

Answer:  Congenitally missing teeth is a genetic condition and can be passed on to your children.  It is important that she have her dentist evaluate her mouth and take an x-ray to see if she is missing the teeth or not.  If she is missing them and nothing is done, it could affect the development of the dental arch.  I highly recommend that she be seen by a pediatric dentist if the teeth do not erupt in a reasonable length of time.  She may also need to been seen by an orthodontist and/or other dental specialists later on.




arrow: Visit answers to previous questions regarding:

  • Yellow discoloration teeth
  • Child not losing baby teeth
  • Using sippy cups
  • How long does it take for teeth to erupt
  • What is a dental hygienist
  • Importance of teating decay in baby teeth
  • When should you first take child to dentist
  • How prepare child for a trip to the dentist
  • Discolored teeth
  • What is a sealant
  • Vitamins with fluoride
  • What is the link between diet and decay
  • What age should you teach a child to brush or floss his/her own teeth

    The KCCDHN program is funded by First 5 Kern and services are provided to children ages 0-5. For more information or if you have a question regarding a child age 0 to 5 years of age, please e-mail Susan McCracken, RDHAP.

    Ask a Hygienist is a Kern County Childrens Dental Health Network informational program designed to provide general information on a variety of dental topics. All material appearing on the Ask a Hygienist page is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of your personal dentist or health care provider. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal, medical and/or dental attention or diagnosis. Without all available information about a patient it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Should your child have a dental problem, always consult your own dentist for diagnosis and treatment. Kern County Childrens Dental Health Network makes no warranty of any kind with respect to the subject matter and answers given as a response to a question. Only you as a parent, your childs dentist and health care provider can make an appropriate treatment decision.

    Submitting a question via this website means that you also agree to the posting of your question/answer on this site. At no time will your e-mail address be revealed, nor your full name.


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