We understand that February has brought us some bitter cold weather, but this is actually one of our favorite months of the year. It’s not because of the snow, but rather the fact that the country puts a spotlight on children’s oral health as part of National Children’s Dental Health month.
At New Albany Implants, we strive to give all of our patients the best information to keep their teeth healthy for a lifetime. While we provide the One Day Smile Solution for patients who are missing entire arches of teeth, there’s nothing better than your natural teeth. Of course, keeping those teeth healthy forever means practicing good oral health from a young age.
We recommend that parents bring their children to the dentist as soon as the child’s first tooth comes in – or by the time the child is 2 years old. By monitoring your child’s tooth development, we can provide special instructions that will help them maintain a healthy mouth forever.
Tooth decay is the No. 1 reason chronic disease in children, and about 17 million children go without dental care in America every year. You probably haven’t considered all the time and money our country spends trying to fight tooth decay. The numbers are staggering. The best way to fight against these problems is to see your dentist for exams twice a year and brush twice a day and floss daily.
According to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (http://www.ncohf.org/resources/tooth-decay-facts), dental disease in children can cause bacterial infections and even malnourishment.
Below are a few facts to consider about your child’s oral health:
• More than 25 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 5 have tooth decay, along with 50 percent of children ages 12 to 15. That’s a big problem because millions of children those ages are not regularly seeing a dentist.
• Children are five times more likely to have dental disease than asthma.
• It’s estimated that children lose out on about 51 million hours of class instruction every year because of dental problems. That number adds up quickly and can take away from your child’s ability to learn.
• Every time you spend a $1 on preventive dentistry (exams and cleanings), taxpayers in America save $50 on potential emergency and restorative dentistry for the uninsured.
• About 90 percent of 1 year olds have been to a physician, but only 1.5 percent of 1 years olds in the country have been to a dentist.
• More than 50 percent of new recruits in the American armed forces have urgent oral health needs. Treating these issues can actually delay deployments.
At New Albany Implants, we can’t emphasis enough the importance of sending your children to the dentist for regular exams and cleanings. One of our specialties is placing dental implants for patients with missing teeth.
Some of those patients practiced good oral hygiene for years and simply were not blessed with great teeth, but more commonly we treat patients who have neglected their oral health for years. Those patients often tell us that they would give just about anything to go back and make their oral health a priority.
If it’s been a while since you have had a dental exam or cleaning, call us today to schedule a visit.