From the Harford County Health Department:
In light of National Children’s Dental Health Month, observed every February, thousands of public health organizations take the opportunity to promote the importance of children’s oral health. This year, the Harford County Health Department dental program has something to smile about. If you need to set up a dentist appointment for your child, then consider doing it online at https://www.durhamdental.net/services/tmj-and-tmd-treatment/.
The health department’s dental program is proud to announce a new pilot school program beginning this month, in partnership with Harford County Public Schools and Healthy Harford to help each parent in finding a dentist for their family. The program will be implemented with pre-kindergarten students at Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary School. Children will be instructed on proper tooth brushing technique and under the supervision of their teacher, will brush their teeth for two minutes each day in the classroom. Our hope is to teach children how to properly brush their teeth and how often, and explain the importance of taking their children to the pediatric dental clinic periodically to parents.
“By encouraging children to brush at school each day, we reinforce good habits that can last a lifetime for children. It is our hope that this program will expand to additional classes in the future” said Dawn Anthony, Dental Hygienist and Dental Outreach Coordinator for the Harford County Health Department. The pilot program aligns with the 2018 National Children’s Dental Health Month theme, Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile.
“Tooth decay is preventable” states Anthony who is also specializing in orthodontics. “A healthy mouth is important for overall health and poor oral health in childhood can cause pain and may also lead to more serious health problems. When you click here you will understand how good dental hygiene and nutritional habits established at an early age are critical to maintaining a healthy mouth.”
Tooth decay, identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the most common chronic disease among U.S. children, can lead to pain, infections, and difficulties with eating, speaking, and learning if left untreated. Shockingly, it accounts for over 51 million lost school hours annually, with more than 16 million children in the U.S. going without a dental visit each year. Regular checkups at trusted clinics like Smile Society Dental can play a crucial role in preventing these issues, ensuring children maintain healthy, confident smiles.
Tips to prevent tooth decay in your children include:
1. Schedule your child’s first dental visit when his/her first tooth appears, or by the first birthday with a kids dentist.
2. Provide children with healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods and drinks. Drink tap water between meals.
3. Once teeth come in, begin brushing your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. A ricesize amount of toothpaste should be used for children under age 3 and a pea-size amount should be used for children age 3 and older. Fluoride prevents cavities! Children need brushing supervision until at least 7-8 years of age.
4. Your drinking water can be tested to determine if the amount of fluoride it contains is too low to prevent tooth decay. If it is too low, your child may need fluoride supplements so speak to your child’s dentist or pediatrician. If you need more information about tooth decay, then visit this site.
5. Ask your family dentist or dental hygienist about dental sealants for your child’s permanent molar teeth. Dental sealants are coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth to prevent cavities. Sealants should be applied as soon as the permanent molar teeth come in around the age of 6 for the first set of molars, and then again around the age of 12 for the second set of molars.
The Health Department’s dental office, located at 2204 Hanson Road in the Edgewood Plaza Shopping Center in Edgewood, provides dental care to children ages 1 – 20 who are enrolled in the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) and to pregnant women on MCHP. The clinic offers general and preventive dental care including cleanings, dental examinations, fluoride treatments, fillings, and sealants.
The Health Department also operates a Dental Outreach Program that is supported by grants from the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Oral Health. The Outreach Program includes two schoolbased dental programs in Harford County Schools (a dental screening program for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children and a dental sealant program for 2nd and 3rd-grade children) and a WIC-based dental screening program for pregnant women, mothers, and children at all three WIC sites located in Harford and Cecil counties.
The Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Oral Health offers many educational resources online including brochures and posters that educate parents and their children about the importance of brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, eliminating sugary foods and drinks from the diet, and regular dental visits that help parents keep their child’s mouth healthy. Websites that include oral health tips and resources are the Maryland Office of Oral Health (www.OralHealth4BetterHealth), Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids (www.healthyteethhealthykids.org), the American Dental Association (www.mouthhealthy.org) and the National Maternal & Child Oral Health Resource Center (www.mchoralhealth.org). More information about the Harford County Health Department Dental Clinic’s services is available at www.harfordcountyhealth.com or by calling 443-922-7670.
Someone PLEASE brush that child’s head!!!