Don’t Let Painful Teeth Hurt Children’s Learning
Kick Off New School Year With a Dental Check-Up
Start your child’s school year with a smile by taking them to the dentist.
Dental problems such as tooth decay can cause schoolchildren severe pain and keep them from learning in the classroom. Pain in the mouth can keep kids awake at night, distract them in class, keep them from playing with their friends, and make it difficult for them to eat. And sometimes these problems keep them out of the classroom altogether. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, children lose an estimated 51 million school hours each year due to dental-related problems.
"Painful dental problems can hurt a student's
ability to thrive," said Dr. Jed Jacobson, vice
president of Professional Services and dental director
at Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. "Their
focus is on their discomfort, making it difficult for
them to absorb lessons in the classroom and to concentrate
on homework assignments at home."
Students with chronic dental pain aren't always able to verbalize it. Teachers may notice that a student is anxious, depressed or fatigued, but may not recognize these behaviors as manifestations of physical pain. School nurses report a range of dental problems in children they see, including cavities, gum disease, poor bite and loose teeth. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, children from low-income families suffer nearly five times as many cavities as children from higher-income families.
When children's dental problems are treated and they are no longer in pain, both their learning and school-attendance records improve, according to the American Journal of Public Health.
"The start of a new school year is a good time to evaluate your children's oral health and dental habits," said Dr. Jacobson. "Checking oral health is as important as booster shots and should be part of regular back-to-school preparations."
What Parents Can Do To Protect Children’s Teeth
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Pack a healthy lunch. Only one in five children eats the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, leaving them more susceptible to cavities and dental disease.
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Limit sugary beverages. Sugar in soda pop and juice boxes combines with the bacteria in the mouth to create an acid that attacks the teeth, causing dental decay. U.S. research shows that 80 percent of tooth decay occurs in teenagers.
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Encourage good brushing habits. Whether it’s done after getting dressed in the morning or before they head for the school bus, children need to follow a routine of brushing and flossing their teeth twice a day.
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