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Every mother wants her babies to grow up happy and healthy and avoid the mistakes of their parents. In my generation, tooth decay was rampant. By adolescence, I had a filling in just about every groove and fissure on all my back teeth. I spent the summers at the dentist's office and I hated going. Ugh!

This generation of mothers knows so much more than my mother and I did about oral health. First of all, they have been reading more and more in the media about how important the mouth is to whole body health. They are hearing the message that specific bacteria (not just a 'dirty mouth') are responsible for cavities and gum diseases, and by reducing the numbers of these organisms, and yes, even by eliminating them through good anti-bacterial self-care, mouth infections like cavities and gingivitis can be avoided before they start. Moms also know about keeping sugars and carbohydrates - those foods that feed the 'mouth bugs' - to a minimum.

Mouth germs are not present when a baby is born. They are transmitted, often from mother to infant or caregiver to child. Although kissing your new infant on the mouth is part of a mother's instinct, be aware that those innocent and affectionate pecks you plant on baby's lips may be loaded with bacteria that can cause tooth decay in your little one.

Most adults have Strep Mutans, a bacterium that is responsible for tooth decay. Other microorganisms in adult's mouths that are responsible for gum disease can also pass from parent to child via saliva; from sharing eating utensils, cups, straws, and toothbrushes. When children put their fingers in Mom or Dad's mouth and then their own, and when parents pre-taste Baby's food from a common spoon, mouth bacteria can be transferred from one to another.

Here are a few tips that will help ensure your child's good oral health:

' Give your baby her own toothbrush early on. She will love to watch you and imitate good brushing techniques.

' Make sure you teach your child to brush his gums and tongue as well as his precious teeth.

' Do not put toothpastes, especially with fluoride, on the brush because babies and toddlers tend to swallow the sweet and tasty stuff.

' Be sure to brush your child's teeth at least twice a day until they are old enough to do it themselves properly. I brushed my son's teeth before bedtime until he was nine. I admit I am a bit obsessive about oral hygiene.

' As toddlers, you can lay them across your lap, (sing to them if necessary to make it enjoyable) and be sure to remove the plaque on their teeth and gums everyday.

' Before sleep is the most important time to brush because if the germs and sugars that cause cavities aren't removed, they have all night to do their damage.

Dr. Stephen Offenbacher, dental researcher at UNC, Chapel Hill , who is well-known for his studies on chronic periodontal infections as they relate to preterm births, offers good counsel. 'Oral infections are both PREVENTABLE and TREATABLE.' I totally agree. If your little one learns from the beginning to get rid of the tooth trolls, he can proudly show off an eye-catching, attractive smile, healthy gums, and fresh breath . . . for a lifetime.