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Some
children learn to live with the constant pain of rotting teeth and
swollen gums. They go to sleep with it. They go to school with it. It
affects their energy levels and even their self-esteem. *
Just the Facts
Tooth
decay is the single most prevalent disease of childhood. About
one-third of California preschool children have untreated tooth decay.
It can cost $2,000-$5,000 to treat EACH CHILD with severe tooth decay.
Many of these children must be hospitalized for dental treatment.
Untreated
tooth decay can cause pain and infection that can lead to
problems with nutrition, growth, school readiness, and speech problems.
What can Health Professionals do???
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Provide an oral health assessment for babies and young children.
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Provide
anticipatory guidance for parents on issues such as weaning, frequency
of snacking, self-assessment at home and use of fluoride toothpaste for
daily brushing.
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Evaluate the need for systemic and topical fluoride supplementation and anti-bacterials like xylitol and chlorhexidine.
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Provide a fluoride varnish treatment when appropriate, as fluoride can prevent and arrest early tooth decay.
Medical
team members can refer children to the dentist as needed and dentists
can make room in their practices for these referrals.
*Paraphrased from Jonathan Kozol, Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools
View the document 6 Steps for the Dental Team
View the presentation "Recent Advances in Dental Health" presented at a Kaiser Permanente training by First Smiles
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