5 Facts for National Children’s Dental Health Month

Wednesday - September 21st, 2016

In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month this February, we’re sharing some of the important facts that earned this issue its own month.

Cavities are surprisingly common in children: 5x more common than asthma, 7x more common than hay fever, and also more common than type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Many cavities go untreated. A study by the CDC reports that approximately 42% of children ages 2-11 have untreated cavities.

Not only can cavities affect a child’s oral health, overall health, and self-esteem, but they can also affect academic performance. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools reports that 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related issues.

Over 80% of the cavities children get are on the chewing surface of their teeth. Dental sealants help to protect against these cavities, but only 18.5% of children have at least one sealed permanent tooth. Talk to your child’s dentist to see if dental sealants are a good option for them.

Fluoride has been proven to be the most effective way to prevent cavities. Unfortunately, more than 100 million Americans do not get enough fluoride from their tap water. Talk to your dentist about other ways to make sure your children are getting enough fluoride to protect their teeth.

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Orthodontics may be provided by general dentists.