SAN DIEGO --

Are you doing what you can to protect your child's baby teeth? Getting cavities in baby teeth could put adult teeth in jeopardy.

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Annual Dental Check-Ups Important For Toddlers

Now, some pediatricians are teaching parents about the importance of dental care.

When Miranda Hermes took her 4-year-old daughter, Melissa, to the dentist, she learned that the little girl already has serious tooth decay.

Hermes said, "They said it's the fact that she was eating all day. She was always nibbling, and her favorite food is cereal."

And, Hermes didn't make Melissa brush her teeth after meals.

"I didn't think it was important because they were just baby teeth," Hermes said.

It is a common misconception among parents that brushing baby teeth is not as important as brushing adult teeth, 10News reported.

Jan Ferree, with the Children's Hospital Welcome Baby Teeth program, wants to correct that misconception. She works with pediatricians, such as Dr. Ingrid Martinez-Andree, to instruct them on how to examine teeth.

"One of the key messages for small children is to look at the gum line where cavities are beginning. Traditionally, when pediatricians are looking at children they're looking down the throat and when the mouth is open it covers the gum line and the teeth," Ferree said.

Ferree said pediatricians must start teaching patients to care for their teeth because dentists aren't getting the chance to.

"Parents are not getting in to see the children's dentists before children enter school. By that time, one in three toddlers already have cavities," Ferree warned.

Martinez said, "I have children. When I do an inspection and bring up their gum line and check the front of their teeth, I can see that there's already decay there. I'm not saying the beginning of decay, I'm not seeing just white spots with a little tartar on there. I'm seeing holes in the deciduous teeth."

Martinez also counsels parents on how to protect their children's teeth.

"Get rid of that bottle by the first year visit and introduce that sippy cup. Try not to give them juice or milk in the sippy cup so they're taking little daily hits of them all day," Martinez said.

Children should also see a pediatric dentist no later than their first birthdays.

For more information call 800-788-9020

Welcome Baby Teeth is funded by the First Five Commission of San Diego, KGTV's partner in Project QKids with KPBS.