GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – February is Children’s Dental Health Month — and a Wisconsin-based dental practice is looking to highlight the importance of dental health in our kids.
Dental Associates will visit 24 schools in the Green Bay area to teach 3,500 children about the importance of dental health. During the visits, each child gets a dental kit that includes a new toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and dental care information for parents.
“We’ve done the student education initiative for many years so it’s engrained in our company culture and something we look forward to every February,” said Dr. Jennifer Stevens, a board-certified pediatric dentist at Dental Associates’ Green Bay clinic in a statement. “We enjoy working with children and giving them the supplies and information they need to properly take care of their teeth. We’re committed to helping the community in every way we can.”
Overall, Dental Associates says they will make over 100 school visits statewide to reach more than 14,000 children.
At these school presentations, dental assistants will show kids the keys to oral health including brushing twice a day for at least 2 minutes, flossing and seeing a dentist for regular checkups. They also address the importance of a healthy diet and encourage children to avoid sugary snacks and sweet drinks like juice and soda since those products coat teeth with sugar.
TOP CHRONIC CHILDHOOD ILLNESS
According to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, pediatric dental disease, also known as tooth decay, is the number 1 chronic childhood illness.
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also finds that early childhood caries (ECC), a rapid form of tooth decay, is on the rise. By age 5, about 60 percent of U.S. children will have had ECC.
Tooth decay is also five times more common in children than asthma, and an estimated 17 million kids in the U.S. go without dental care each year.
“Research continues to show the importance of early pediatric dental care for children,” says Stevens. “That’s why we’re so passionate about spreading the message that children’s teeth need dental care even before they turn one-year-old. Early attention and intervention can help avert a host of problems.”
The problems associated with poor oral health go beyond the impacts on teeth and gums. Since a cavity is an infection of the tooth, it makes children more vulnerable to ear and sinus infections.
Other negative health effects for kids include difficulty chewing, decreased appetite, insufficient growth, poor speech, reluctance to speak and smile, poor sleep habits, poor concentration, low self-esteem and social ostracism. In addition, if baby teeth come out too early, the permanent teeth may erupt out of position, which can lead to crooked and twisted teeth along with intensive orthodontic treatment needed later on.
According to the American Journal of Public Health, children with dental problems are more likely to miss school and have problems at school and are less likely to complete all required homework. A report from the Office of the Surgeon General says that over 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental-related conditions.
RECOMMENDED KIDS DENTAL HEALTH REGIMEN
Dental Associates lists the following tips to help improve the oral health of children:
- Familiarize babies with dental care by cleaning their gums gently with a soft infant toothbrush or wet wash cloth.
- Avoid putting children to bed with a bottle of milk or juice
- Give young children, even those without teeth, a soft bristle toothbrush so they can copy mom or dad. Replace it every 3 months.
- Schedule a dental visit shortly after the child’s first tooth appears or no later than his/her 1st birthday. Continue with regular dental checkups every 6 months.
- Use fluoride-free toothpaste (also known as training toothpaste) for children less than 2 years old. For children between 2 and 5, apply just a smear of fluoride toothpaste. Teach children to spit out any extra toothpaste.
- A pediatric dentist may apply a fluoride treatment, depending on the amount of fluoride in the local drinking water.
- To protect molar teeth from decay, a dental sealant may be applied to fill in the crevices of teeth and protect them for years.
- Children (and adults) should avoid frequent snacking on sugary or starchy items and avoid drinking an excessive amount of soda and other sugary beverages.
- Follow the 2-2-2 dental health guide: brush and floss twice a day for 2 minutes and see the dentist twice a year for checkups.
- To help young ones keep brushing for 2 minutes, Dental Associates created “Heroes of Hygiene,” a free app for Apple and Android devices where 4 different super heroes come to life to make brushing fun and entertaining.
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