February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, which is a good time to remind families about the importance of good oral health care early in life. Tooth decay is the number one childhood illness, but also the most preventable. By kindergarten, over 50 percent of children in California have already experienced dental decay and miss an estimated 874,000 days of school each year due to dental problems. It’s so important to establish healthy habits early on. Here are a few helpful tips on caring for your little one’s teeth:
You can start taking care of your baby’s mouth within the first days after birth by regularly wiping their gums with a wet cloth. Once those teeth begin to appear you can begin to brush them with a soft-bristled brush and water.
- Make sure to brush your toddler’s teeth twice a day using a small drop of toothpaste. When they have at least two teeth that touch, you can start to floss. And visit your dentist for a checkup before your baby’s first birthday.
- Even baby teeth are susceptible to cavities. To avoid “baby bottle mouth,” avoid putting anything other than breast milk, formula, or milk in their bottles and do not put them down to sleep with a bottle.
- Children who drink sugary beverages have nearly double the risk of tooth decay and an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Help them stay away from sugary beverages and drink milk and water instead.
First 5 San Joaquin is celebrating Children’s Dental Health month by promoting dental health awareness through its quarterly health messaging efforts, which includes the distribution of an Oral Health E-Toolkit packed with educational resources on children’s oral health for both parents and providers.
First 5 executive director, Lani Schiff-Ross, states “First 5’s goal is to let parents and caregivers know there are simple things that can be done to reduce the risk of tooth decay and establish healthy habits very early on.”
In partnership with the University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, First 5 will also offer a free Oral Health Workshop at Public Health Services on February 7th for educators and service providers. The workshop will be presented by Deborah Johnson Horlak, Dental Hygiene Program Director.
“This disease that affects so many children is completely preventable”, says Horlak. “Prevention is the key to stopping the spread of oral disease, which requires education and parental awareness… Pacific’s Dental Hygiene Clinic and First 5 San Joaquin are working together to help the families of San Joaquin county achieve improved oral health.”
About First 5 San Joaquin Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. For more information on First 5 San Joaquin and e-toolkit resources for the Oral Health Campaign, please visit
www.sjckids.org or call (209) 953-5437.