Dental health starts in childhood and is often dependent on the priority of dental health in the mind of the parent or caregiver. Poor dental health has an effect on more than just the teeth of the child, it can have an effect on the overall health of the child as well as the success in school since missed days due to illness may result in being less successful. Recently, The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, an organization supported by Dentists, has created a public service announcement campaign in which famous athlete Laila Ali has been named the spokesperson. Through a series of public service announcements as well as blasts on social media, the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives hopes to give parents a list of actions to ensure the dental and overall health of their children.
This list of actions is much more than just making sure your child visits dentists of Collegeville on a routinely basis. The recommendations include day to day activities which the parents or caregivers of children should take seriously in order for their child to remain healthy. One of the recommendations on the list is to make sure that the child brushes their teeth twice per day with a toothpaste enriched with fluoride. The amount of toothpaste used is age dependent. Children under the age of two do not need the fluoride and can simply brush their teeth with a brush and water. The amount of fluoride toothpaste that should be used by a child ages two to six should be about the size of a small blueberry or pea, and the amount should slightly increase for older children. Also on the list of recommendations is to teach your child how to floss, and encourage the child to floss after each brushing. Flossing can help remove any leftover food particles or bacteria left behind after brushing. The last recommendation is to begin routine dentist visits at the age of one or at the age when the first tooth can be felt and seen. The hope with this public service announcement and media campaign is to inspire parents to make the dental health of their children higher priority. Making dental health a higher priority may lead to an increase in the overall health of children and adults.
