The American Dental Association (ADA) has declared February as National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM).(1) This is an annual event each February, and the goal is to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Messages and materials for children’s oral health are available for communities across the country. The focus is on developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular oral health care visits to help children with a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. This year the campaign's slogan is "ROCK YOUR SMILE". Flossy and Buck McGrinn are featured. A poster is available in English and Spanish. There is also a planning guide. The NCDHM Program Planning Guide offers program coordinators, dental societies, teachers and parents resources to promote the benefits of good oral health to children. The guide includes easy-to-do activities, program planning timetable tips, a sample NCDHM proclamation, and much, much more. Posters are available in English and Spanish.(2)
In a recent Sunstar Newsletter, the topic was Children’s Oral Health under Siege.(3) The opinion of two experts interviewed agreed that there is confusion about the age of a child’s first dental visit. It is recommended that the first dental visit be age 1, but the message is not well known to some dental and medical professionals.(4) The risks created by delaying the first dental visit beyond age one are important, and could be a threat to children’s oral health. For more information on children’s oral health, visit the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.(5) “The mission of the AAPD is to advocate policies, guidelines, and programs that promote optimal oral health and oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs.”(6) Treating children involves inaction with the child and their parent or caregiver. Some clinicians feel it is advantageous to ask the parent or caregiver to leave the room if the child’s behavior is bad. However, many clinicians feel more comfortable with the parents in the room. For assistance in this area, see the Guideline on Behavior Guidance for the Pediatric Dental Patient.(7) At the 2011 American Academy of Physician Assistants' 39th Annual Meeting, dental health was stated as the most common unmet health need, and that it can severely affect systemic health. Disparities in oral health and access to care exist in all ages, but especially in the young, elderly, and uninsured.(8) Smiles for Life, a comprehensive national curriculum developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Oral Health, outlines the role that primary care pediatric clinicians play in maintaining children's oral health.(9) Smiles for Life was established in October 2005 to address a need for high-quality residency and medical school curricula in an area of documented physician knowledge deficit. During regular well-child visits, primary-care clinicians normally see children eight times more often than the dentist or other oral health care professional does, and they have a real opportunity to make a difference in these children. A risk-factor assessment will dictate how the child should be treated. Recommendations state that the dental home be established in the first year of a child's life, and if the patient has limited access to dental care, the primary-care clinician has to take a more active role in prevention.(8) Nutrition is also very important in our discussion about health. Good oral health and good nutrition go hand-in-hand. Discussing a recent study, the authors stated that added sweeteners pose dangers to health that justify controlling them like alcohol.(10) The authors admit that food, unlike alcohol and tobacco, is required for survival. However, they say that taxes, zoning ordinances and even age limits for purchasing certain sugar-filled products are all suitable actions for the problem posed by sugar. In a New York Times article, author Lustig blamed our excessive consumption of sugar as the primary reason that the numbers of obese and diabetic Americans have skyrocketed in the past 30 years.(11) He believes that sugar is also the likely dietary cause of several other chronic ailments widely considered to be diseases of Western lifestyles, such as heart disease, hypertension and many common cancers among them. And we know the role of sugar in tooth decay.
In a graphic provided with information from U.S.D.A. 2009, the New York Times article shows what an average American consumes in added sugars in one year, which is four gallons of high fructose corn syrup a year and 313 gallons in a lifetime. Fructose is now on the list of ingredients deemed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The American Dental Association has a fact sheet on Diet and Tooth Decay.(12)
Many companies and organizations provide information on oral care for children. At Crest Oral-B, you can download and print free Disney-themed Dental Health Month materials. You can download: kids' activities book in English and Spanish; parents' education guide in English and Spanish; and an office poster in English and Spanish.(13)
Colgate has a variety of resources on Oral Care for Children.(14) They also have their Bright Smiles-Bright Futures Program for children in need.(15) Sunstar Americas has information for children and products for children, such as GUM Star Wars Toothbrushes, GUM Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush, and more.(16)
Philips has Sonicare For Kids, clinical studies, videos, and other resources for children.(17) Johnson and Johnson Professional features products for children and free downloadable brochures, such as: Fun Way to Get Kids to Use a Fluoride Rinse (18) and Tips for Engaging Kids Early in Oral Care.(19)
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association has resources for children.(20) The National Maternal & Child Oral Health Resource Center has a plethora of information and resources.(21) This is by no means an exhaustive list, but just a few of the resources available.
References
1. www.ada.org/5578.aspx.
2. www.ada.org/sections/publicResources/pdfs/2012_Program_English_%282%29.pdf.
3. Sunstar E-Briefs: News You Can Use: February 2012. www.gumbrand.com/ebriefs/2012/2EBriefFeb2012.htm.
4. www.aapd.org/publications/brochures/babycare.asp.
5. www.aapd.org.
6. www.aapd.org/about/mission.asp.
7. www.aapd.org/media/policies_guidelines/g_behavguide.pdf.
8. Gonzalves WC. “Oral health in pediatric primary care.” Presented at: American Academy of Physician Assistants' 39th Annual PA Meeting. 2011; Las Vegas, Nevada.
9. www.stfm.org/fmhub/fm2007/February/Alan88.pdf.
10. Lustig RH, Schmidt LA, and Brindis CD. Public health: The toxic truth about sugar. Nature, 482, 27–29, February 2, 2012.
11. www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html.
12. www.ada.org/sections/scienceAndResearch/pdfs/patient_13.pdf.
13. www.dentalcare.com/en-US/dental-education/patient-education/dhm2012.aspx.
14. www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Popular-Topics/Oral-Care-for-Children.cvsp.
15. www.colgate.com/app/BrightSmilesBrightFutures/US/EN/HomePage.cvsp.
16. us-professional.gumbrand.com/babies/.
17. www.sonicare.com/professional/dp/OurProducts/SonicareForKids.aspx.
18. www.jjdentalprofessional.com/assets/308161_Smart_Rinse_SS_Mv6FIN.PDF.
19. www.jjdentalprofessional.com/assets/LSR_Tip_Sheet_11_27_07.pdf.
20. www.adha.org/kidstuff/index.html.
21. www.mchoralhealth.org/.
Other Resources
Children's Oral Hygiene www.aquafresh.com/ForKids
Oral Care For Children www.orajel.com/ToddlerTraining
Children's Dental Hygiene www.childrenssmileproject.org
Keeping Your Child's Teeth Healthy www.kidshealth.org
Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/topics/child.htm
NIDCR www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childdentalhealth.html
Dental Care for Special Child www.aapd.org/publications/brochures/specialcare.asp
Children and Gum Disease www.perio.org/consumer/children.htm
Oral Conditions in Children with Special Needs: A Guide for Health Care Providers www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/oralhealthinformation/childrensoralhealth/oralconditionschildrenspecialneeds
Infant and Toddler Forum www.infantandtoddlerforum.org/
For Children in Need
America’s Toothfairy www.ncohf.org/
Dental Care for Children www.dentalcareforchildren.org/
KIND kindsmiles.org/
Oral Health America oralhealthamerica.org/
Sincerely,
Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS
To read previous RDH eVillage FOCUS introductions by Editorial Director Maria Perno Goldie, go to introductions.
