“You don’t have to brush your teeth - just the ones you want to keep.”
~Author Unknown
Cedric D. Jackson II, 5-years-old, is waiting for the tooth fairy. Before he lost his baby teeth, his mother, LaToya McClayton, taught him about good oral hygeine. Courtesy photo.
By Teri Banas
LANSING, MI — LaToya McClayton knew medical treatments to treat her son’s asthma could leave her son prone to tooth decay. So, she taught Cedric D. Jackson II, now 5-years-old, to take care of his teeth.
Thanks to his mom’s awareness, young Cedric is going to develop a good set of teeth to last a lifetime. Not everyone is as lucky, though.
During February, National Children’s Dental Health Month, the message that good oral health starting when children are babies is more important than ever.
Despite the fact that tooth decay is the most chronic but preventable childhood disease – five times more prevalent than asthma – most parents wait too long to prevent oral health problems in their infants and toddlers, threatening children’s overall health.
Among young children, 2-4-years-old, there is an alarming rise in tooth decay, according to the National Centers for Disease Control.
In a recent survey commissioned by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and conducted by the University of Michigan, only one out of three parents said they made sure their child saw a dentist by the time they turned one. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children see a dentist when the first tooth breaks or by age one in order to establish good preventive practices to fight tooth decay and create a solid foundation for future oral health.
“This report proves Michigan has to reach out to parents and the dental and medical communities about changing practices to give our youngest children the best possible start in life, which includes good dental care,” said Investment Corporation CEO Judy Y.
Samelson.
The study, “Oral Health Care for Young Children 0-5 Years: From Research to Recommendations,” came at the urging of the Head Start-State Collaboration Office and support from across the Great Start System.
Gov. Rick Snyder, during his health initiative address last year, cited poor oral healthas a leading cause of school absences and inappropriate use of emergency rooms. He also pointed to research showing gum disease links to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, respiratory disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Children who see dentist by age one typically have dental costs 40 percent lower than those who don’t see a dentist in the first five years, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
The UM study warns the awareness issue coupled with reluctance among dentists to treat infants and toddlers — particularly young children in low-income households– bodes serious consequences for child health. The study surveyed 500 parents and 444 dentists statewide, and reviewed 12,000 dental screens of young children in Head Start and other early learning programs across Michigan. It found:
• Only 30 percent of parents surveyed reported they knew the recommended age at first visit was age 1. As many as three out of four general dentists surveyed said they were aware of the AAPD call for routine dental care to start by age one. But only one-third of them said they recommended their own patients start care then; many said they aren’t comfortable treating children so young.
A serious access to care gap exists for children covered by Medicaid, with only one dentist available for every 822 children on traditional Medicaid. Nationally and in Michigan, oral health problems are most common among low-income children served by Medicaid, Head Start and other government programs.
The UM study calls for expansion of the Healthy Kids program, which vastly improves access to dental care for Medicaid-eligible children by offering dentists a reimbursement rate to help cover their costs.
“Parents should begin a search for a family dentist by the time the child starts
getting teeth, usually around four to six months,” said Susan Deming, Coordinator of Education and Fluoridation for the Oral Health Program at the Michigan Department of Community Health. “Your local health department, child’s physician, or the Michigan Department of Community Health can help.”
A copy of the report, and the latest issue of Great Starts Here, which features infant oral health, can be found at http://greatstartforkids.org/content/case-infant-dental-care
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation is an independent, publicly owned nonprofit helping Michigan rebuild its economy by delivering better education, health and economic outcomes through effective early childhood development.
The Great Start Initiative is a statewide effort to provide parents with the early childhood development resources they need to prepare their children for success in school, career and life.
This was printed in the February 10, 2013 – February 23, 2013 Edition
