The National Education Association (NEA) reports that American students miss 51 million hours of school every year because of oral health problems. And students who are absent miss critical instruction time, especially in early grades where reading skills are an important focus and the building blocks of future learning. And students who have experienced recent oral health pain are four times more likely to have lower grade point averages than their counterparts who have not.
That's why NEA's Read Across America Program celebrates National Children's Dental Health Month each year to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health and reading. Parents and children are encouraged to remember 2 x 2 + 20: brush their teeth for two minutes, two times per day, and read for 20 minutes as a way of building good oral health and literacy habits!
National Children’s Dental Health Month is celebrated in February every year and is meant to raise awareness about the importance of oral health.
Even though it’s almost entirely preventable, tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children. More than 40 percent of children ages 2 to 11 have had a cavity in their primary (baby) teeth, and more than two-thirds of 16 to 19-year old teens have had a cavity in their permanent teeth. Although overall rates of tooth decay have decreased over the past four decades, unfortunately decay has increased in preschool age children in recent years.
The good news is there are safe and effective preventive measures that can protect teeth. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
The American Dental Association recommends the following for good oral health that can help children (and adults) have a healthy and beautiful smile:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between teeth daily with floss or an inter-dental cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still lingers between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach.
- Eat a balanced diet and limit between meal snacks to healthy items like fruits, raw vegetables, plain yogurt or cheese.
- Instead of sugary drinks like soda, drink more water!
- Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings & oral exams.