National Children’s Dental Health Month reminds parents of the importance of oral health

(BPT) - February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM), a great time for parents and caregivers to remember the importance that oral health plays in children’s overall health and wellness. The health of little teeth is more critical than many people realize. In fact, the leading chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S. is tooth decay.

In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) launched the Monster-Free Mouths Movement to address the nation-wide health threat that tooth decay (also known as the Mouth Monsters) is to the health and welfare of children. The educational campaign arms parents and caregivers with important tools and information to help fight tooth decay.

In conjunction with the campaign, the AAPD “State of Little Teeth Report” examines the public health crisis of tooth decay among young children in America. Select key findings of the report include:

Early childhood tooth decay is serious and on the rise. A rapid form of tooth decay among very young children called early childhood caries (ECC) is the most common disease faced by children, and it’s on the rise.

Early dental visits are strongly recommended, rarely made. Despite a strong consensus among experts that babies see a pediatric dentist in their first year of life, only a fraction of parents bring their children this early.

There is a shortage of dentists skilled in treating children. Overall, there are too few dentists willing and able to treat young children, especially those covered by Medicaid, who face barriers finding care.

There is a need to expand pediatric dental education. Providing dental care for young children, especially those with special needs, requires special training. There is a need for expanding dental education to produce more pediatric dentists and more general dentists with the knowledge, skills and willingness to treat children.

“Oral health is an important part of a child’s overall health and well-being – but it is sometimes overlooked in the early years,” says Dr. Edward H. Moody, AAPD president and practicing pediatric dentist. “A key part of keeping little teeth healthy is regular check-ups with a pediatric dentist. National Children’s Dental Health Month is a great time to schedule an appointment or to find a pediatric dental office for your child, ideally no later than the first birthday, to lay the foundation for a healthy smile for a lifetime.”

To help parents and caregivers fight tooth decay, the following three steps are key:

1. Establish a dental home – or home base – for your child’s oral health care by finding a local pediatric dentist.

2. Help your child develop healthy oral habits early by brushing as soon as the first tooth appears and explaining tooth decay in child-friendly terms.

3. To join the Monster-Free Mouths Movement and to take advantage of resources, visit mouthmonsters.mychildrensteeth.org. Parents and caregivers will find information to help keep little teeth healthy, including informative articles, practical tips and tools like a Mouth Monster toolkit, an easy-to-use pediatric dentist finder and the full “State of Little Teeth Report.”