When you have a tooth ache or other problem in your mouth, it is difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Imagine how it must be for a child with an aching tooth – or several? Sitting in class, listening and learning, is challenging for them. And if it is painful to eat or drink, they may not be getting adequate nutrition.

Consider this startling statistic: each year kids lose a combined 51 million school hours due to dental-related illnesses. It’s not just a matter of missing classes. These kids may experience extreme discomfort, sleeplessness, embarrassment, and even lifelong tooth and gum issues.

Tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease that kids face today – five times more common than hay fever and seven times more common than bronchitis. The U.S. Surgeon General calls it a silent epidemic.

Six out of ten children in the U.S. have cavities. Since the root system from baby teeth helps lay the foundation for permanent teeth, damage from cavities at a younger age may affect adult teeth.

Understandably, some parents delay taking their kids to the dentist because they consider the visit an unnecessary expense, especially in our current financial crisis. Unfortunately, oral problems don’t fix themselves over time. They only get worse and end up costing more in the long run. If decay is not treated, baby teeth may be destroyed and cause needless pain and suffering, as well as a lifetime of oral health problem. Recent dental studies show that costs for kids who have their first dental visit before age one are 40 percent lower in the first five years than for kids who do not.

There are some preventive measures parents can take to keep their kids’ teeth and gums in better shape. Here are a few tips I hope you will find useful:

• Have kids brush their teeth at least twice a day, including before going to bed, and routinely use dental floss.
• Make regular visits for oral checkups as directed by the dentist.
• Avoid too many sugary snacks and sweet, sticky foods.
• Brush and rinse after eating.
• Refrain from offering snacks and sweet drinks in the evening once a child has brushed and flossed.

Assess your kids’ dental habits – how are they doing? When did you take your kids to the dentist for the first time? What have you struggled with as a parent in dealing with dental checkups and oral health concerns? Tell me about your experiences and I will share the responses in an upcoming blog.

- Karen

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