Cavities are an infectious disease resulting in more than 52 million lost school-hours per year, yet many children do not get the dental health care they need.
It's no secret that children need to floss and brush regularly - do you know how soon to start your child on the road to dental health? As soon as they have teeth, of course!
Upon tooth eruption, parents can clean their children's teeth with a moist washcloth and as more teeth appear, switch to a pediatric toothbrush sporting a pea-sized drop of fluoride toothpaste. Until a child can spit out the extra toothpaste, smaller amounts keep fluoride from sitting on teeth and causing staining.
A pediatric dentist should be consulted between the ages of 6 to 12 months, or when the first tooth erupts if a child is at high risk.
Risk factors include:
- Sleeping with a cup or bottle
- Walking around with a cup of juice or sugared drink for much of the day
- A mother with many cavities
- Special Health care needs
- Later order offspring
- Low socio-economic status
- Thumb sucking
- A toddler still using a pacifier
- Teeth grinding at night
As a general rule, pediatric dentists will see children earlier than family dentists and are well equipped to provide a child-friendly atmosphere! A child will not usually have decay before the age of three. If your child does not have any risk factors, or your family dentist does not want to see him prior to the age of 5, ask your pediatrician to check his teeth at each well-baby check-up. Of course, if holes appear in his teeth prior to that time, contact a pediatric dentist as soon as possible.
One-half of children between the ages of 5-9 years have at least one cavity. Dental cavities not taken care of can evolve into serious conditions including problems eating and speaking. In addition, school-aged children experiencing dental pain are often unable to concentrate on their studies, compounding the dental problem.
All of these facts are well and good, but what can a parent do to promote dental health and then provide dental care when funds are short?
To promote dental health:
- Children should brush at least twice per day
- Children should floss once per day
- Nutritious meals should be provided
- In-between meals should be limited
Access to Dental Health Care
Dental Health care professionals are concerned about the ability of families to access the care they need. With the rising costs of health care, dental care can easily slide into the realm of "tomorrow's concerns," until emergency surfaces. Prevention is within reach though. To provide dental care for your family on a budget:
- Contact your state dental health society for income-based programs available in your area
- Look in the yellow pages or call your local dental health society to find dental school clinics. Dental residents will provide dental care for the entire family at no or low-cost. Be prepared for a wait though! Our local program is so popular that you often wait up to six months for an appointment. In addition, remember that dental school clinics are open only during the regular school year.
- If you have a family dentist, the ADA Council on Access, Prevention & Interpersonal Relations/(CAPIR), suggests you inform your dentist about special financial conditions. He or she may be able to offer suggestions to help relieve your burden.
For additional information, contact your family dentist or the ADA web site!
