The Importance of Oral Health in Children
Authors: Billy Kuhl and Braxton Richard
The importance of oral health education, especially in children, cannot be expressed enough. Many people across the world suffer from oral health issues that could have been prevented, if they had been more educated, earlier. Some of these issues include: dental problems, systematic health issues, nutritional deficiencies, as well as academic and social impacts.
Dental Problems
Dental problems is the obvious issue among those listed, however, there has been no rapid increase in educating children about the importance of proper dental hygiene, strictly because of dental problems.
Dental problems can span from tooth decay, which can lead to cavities, and if left untreated can develop into gum disease, which could ultimately result in the loss of the tooth/teeth.
Systematic Health Problems
Your mouth is the entry point of all things, good or bad, entering your body, making it crucial in sustaining good overall health.
Poor eating habits, to counteract pain or uncomfortability in the mouth, are responsible for many issues including cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections, and gum disease.
Nutritional Deficiencies
These systematic problems can then lead to nutritional deficiencies, as a result of difficulties eating. Problems like tooth-aches, poor food choices, and loss of appetite can result in a lack of vitamins, causing issues among kids who are growing and developing.
Academic Impacts
Constant doctor and dentist visits, as a result of poor immune system health or dental problems, can be very distracting to a child trying to learn.
This can cause children to fall behind in class, forcing them to put in additional work just to catch up. No child should struggle in school because they are distracted by pain or uncomfortability.
Social Impacts
With a surge in mental health struggles across the country, smiling seems to be more important than ever. Over half of all American adults are insecure with their smile, and hide their teeth when smiling.
The root of this problem lies with a lack of education on how to maintain a healthy smile, starting from a young age. To combat this, it is so important to start educating the younger generation. The eruption of permanent teeth begins around the age of 6. As the name implies, these teeth will be with them for the rest of their life.
The Bright Smiles Project Mission
Too many children grow into adulthood and suffer from oral health issues. Whether it is having to get fillings, bridges, root canals, or even extractions, constant trips to the dentist are annoying.
We have identified that the best way to reduce poor oral health across all age-ranges is to start with the kids. Your permanent teeth start coming in, as said above, at around 6 years old. Parents have enough on their plate to worry about, educators are focused on teaching students the necessary aspects of their education, but somewhere along the way, healthy habits get left out.
In reference to a poll from August of 2024, Mott Poll Co-Director Sarah Clark, M.P.H. says “Over a third of parents in our poll reported their child does not regularly brush twice a day - the most basic level of oral hygiene.” There are many factors that play into this, but the main two we will try to attack are lack of knowledge and misconceptions.
Lack of Knowledge
The biggest and most influential factor in maintaining proper oral health is having access to information that is beneficial and easy to understand for all ages. That is our primary goal at The Bright Smiles Project; we collaborate with dentists, use educational resources, and try to make oral hygiene as fun as we can. We want the students excited to learn about their teeth and how to properly take care of them.
Misconceptions
When adequate oral health education is available, sometimes a lack of proper knowledge can lead to misconceptions. At The Bright Smiles Project, we make an effort to clear up these misconceptions early.
Some misconceptions include:
Bleeding gums are normal.
Brushing harder cleans better.
You only need to see a dentist when you feel pain.
Flossing is optional.
Dental health is separate from overall health.
Overall, oral health is vital in sustaining a healthy lifestyle, building good habits, and avoiding social and mental distractions. In an effort to promote this, The Bright Smiles Projects starts at the root. At the future. The children of America.
