Here at Advanced Dental Care of Anderson, we are so excited to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month this February! Every February, the American Dental Association sponsors and funds National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and regular dental visits for children. NCDHM is an excellent opportunity to promote the benefits of proper oral hygiene with your little ones to help them develop good dental health habits at an early age, as establishing attitudes and practices at a young age is critical to maintaining good oral health throughout life.
This month-long national health observance unites thousands of healthcare providers, dental experts, and educators with the common goal of promoting oral health among children, teachers, caregivers, and many others. The ADA uses NCDMH as an opportunity to highlight that, despite being entirely preventable, tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children.
During NCDMH, the ADA and others work to educate children and their parents about the safe, effective preventive measures that can protect teeth. These practices include proper flossing and brushing, as well as regular dental checkups. The month also includes Give Kids A Smile Day on February 6th.
Why Proper Oral Hygiene is Important for Your Kids
Improper oral health and dental hygiene can have other disastrous effects on our little ones. Oral health is especially important for children, as their teeth are just beginning to grow and taking care of them at that age, can dictate how well teeth hold up over a lifetime. When kept unclean and not properly cared for, long-term oral effects and conditions may arise, including halitosis.
Also known as bad breath, halitosis is a symptom that presents as an unpleasant breath odor. It can create anxiety, depression, and low self-confidence among those affected. If you want to protect your children from such conditions, it is best to establish good oral hygiene habits early. What better time to start than National Children’s Dental Health Month!
The Slogan for This Year’s Children’s Dental Health Month
This year, 2020, also marks the 75th anniversary of community water fluoridation, so the ADA is incorporating an anniversary celebration into this year’s NCDHM. Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first city across the globe to fluoridate its drinking water in 1945. Since then, the ADA has remained committed to fluoride in public water supplies as the most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.
As more research has been done over the last 75 years, we have seen over and over again that an optimal level of fluoride in our tap water is effective and safe, preventing tooth decay by 25% in both adults and children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has even named community water fluoridation as one of the top 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Dentists can celebrate the occasion with the 2020 NCDHM slogan: “Fluoride in water prevents cavities! Get it from the tap!” This slogan helps to emphasize the effectiveness of fluoride in tap water.
Making Information About Oral Health Readily Available
One of the most exciting parts of National Children’s Dental Health Month is the amount of information about oral health that becomes available. Regardless of whether you work for a dental organization or are just a concerned parent, the American Dental Association provides free tools and resources online during NCDHM. These include coloring activity sheets for the little ones and oral health presentations for the parents.
One of our favorite resources is the National Children’s Dental Health Month Program Planning Guide. This resource provides simple activities, timetable tips, and oral hygiene facts that give program facilitators, dental organizations, and parents information that helps them teach children the importance of caring for their teeth. You can find this guide along with other pamphlets, tutorial videos, and booklets on the ADA website. We also suggest checking out this link from the US Department of Health and Human Services website for more oral health resources for families.
Think About Your Child This Children’s Dental Health Month
As February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, it is the perfect time to start thinking and talking about your children’s oral hygiene and oral health habits. It can be hard to teach kids how important it is to take care of their teeth, but we must teach them good oral hygiene habits early in life.
At Advanced Dental Care of Anderson, we care about children and their teeth, and we are here to help you provide the best dental care for them! To learn more about our services and how we can help you take care of your children, visit our website. You can also contact us or request an appointment online to get your child started down the path to better oral health!