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February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! Sponsored by The American Dental Association along with the ADA Foundation, this month-long national health observance brings together thousands of dedicated dental professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others.
The most common medical condition in children is tooth decay, and it is largely preventable. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), dental caries/cavities are four times more common than childhood asthma and three times more likely than childhood obesity. In their 2021 State of Little Teeth Report, the AAPD examined the epidemic of tooth decay among children. Check out the following key stats from the Report:
- Tooth decay is the NUMBER ONE chronic infectious disease affecting children in the United States and is on the rise, but it is largely preventable.1
- The rate of tooth decay in baby teeth of children aged 2 to 5 years increased nearly 17% from 1988-1994 to 1999-2004.2
- By age 5 about 60% of children will be affected by tooth decay.3
- Children with oral health problems are THREE TIMES more likely to miss school due to dental pain than children with no oral health problems.4
- AAPD recommends taking a child for their first dental visit by the age of 1.5
- Delaying dental care to age 2 or 3 can have a negative impact on a child’s oral health. 40% of parents and caregivers surveyed are delaying their child’s first visit until after age 2.6
As part of this celebration, the ADA provides free resources for children for use in the home and school. Click on the thumbnails below to download free coloring sheets, puzzles and activity sheets, and a calendar for your child to track their brushing. If you want more activity sheets, or are an educator and would like free resources for use in the classroom, click here for access to posters, flyers, postcards, activity sheets and more.
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1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children’s Oral Health. http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/children_adults/child.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2023
2 Dye B, Tan S, Smith V, et al. Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2004. Vital Health Stat. 2007;11(248):1– 92. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_248.pdf
3 US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.
4 Jackson SL, Vann WF Jr, Kotch JB, Pahel BT, Lee JY. Impact of poor oral health on children’s school attendance and performance. Am J Public Health.2011;101(10):1900-6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2010.200915
5 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.mychildrensteeth.org/resources-for-parents/parent-faq/. Accessed Jan. 26, 2023
6 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Consumer Survey. October 2013
Read the full post on the American Dental Hygienists’ Association website: https://www.adha.org/ncdhm/
