InFluential_Magazine_March_April_2017

Teen
Volunteers
BRING HEALTHIER
SMILES TO KIDS IN NEED
Did you know half
of all children in
this country enter
kindergarten with
tooth decay?
kPHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY OF ADA FOUNDATION
Tooth decay is the number one
chronic infectious disease among
children in the U.S., affecting 42
percent of children aged 2 to 11 years
old, according to the National Institutes
of Health. In addition, nearly half of
minority children and children receiving
Medicaid benefits suffer from untreated
tooth decay.
Good oral health is connected to good
overall health. In fact, problems in the
mouth can impact the rest of the body. If
the tooth decay isn’t fixed - or prevented
in the first place - the consequences are
much broader; children with untreated
tooth decay often have more school
absences, difficulty paying attention in
school and lower self-esteem.
The good news is that with proper
management and intervention, early
forms of tooth decay can actually be
stopped and reversed. Oral care habits
start at home. Children should:
• Brush their teeth twice a day for two
minutes with fluoride toothpaste;
Floss once a day;
Eat healthy meals;
• Visit the dentist once a year.
326 TEEN FLUENTIAL MARCH / APRIL 2017