February has been coated in Cupid’s sugary sweets so long that most don’t know it is also National Children’s Dental Health Month. Hidden in heart-shaped shadows is the prevalence of poor oral health in Colorado’s children, an issue persistently degrading their well-being.
Colorado Department of Health and Environment finds dental disease as the leading chronic illness in children. Almost 42 percent of students in Head Start experienced caries, or tooth decay, in the 2013-2014 school year. The average age of these children was only 3.9 years, a drop in the bucket of their long lives and a startling snapshot of our youths’ foundation in health.
A statewide effort to combat poor childhood oral health is Cavity Free at Three; a training program for health care providers to learn about early childhood caries and how to improve access to and delivery of preventive oral health services for young children and pregnant women. Low-income populations are especially prone to dental disease early in life. Cavity Free at Three works to address this problem, and in collaboration with these efforts, Kari Plante, Regional Oral Health Specialist at San Juan Basin Health, is a Master Trainer in Cavity Free at Three and is available to train health care providers in this area.
The American Dental Association recommends a child’s first dental visit to be no later than his or her first birthday, with dental exams every six months, as the health of baby teeth affects adult teeth.
Between dental visits, active care of baby teeth is necessary. Enamel on baby teeth is especially thin and should be brushed gently with soft bristles and a small amount of non-fluoridated toothpaste. (Fluoridated toothpaste can be used after the age of 2.) Even before teeth come in, parents can use a clean, damp washcloth to clean a baby’s gums.
Healthy foods are also pertinent to oral health. When bacteria combine with sugars from food or beverages, acid forms and harms tooth enamel. Water, particularly fluoridated water, is the best drink for children as it helps to wash away cavity-causing bacteria. Just 10 ounces of juice contains as much sugar as three doughnuts, so it is important to give children only water between meals and at bedtime.
Oral health is an essential building block for a lifetime of good health. This National Children’s Dental Health Month, support your child’s well-being through dental care and proper nutrition. Good health is what makes life sweet.
Call the San Juan Basin Health dental clinic at 385-4480 for appointments Monday-Wednesday.
Lauren Pope is the assessment, planning and communications specialist at San Juan Basin Health.
