'satisfactory smile' with a restorative approach - Indian Dental ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol No: 11 ISSUE No: 4 21 ABSTRACT STRATEGIES OF SCHOOL DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION Dr.Sunil Mohammed, Professor and HOD, Department of Pedodontics, Royal Dental College, Chalissery, Kerala. The Oral health of children is important to their overall well-being. Just as the mouth cannot be separated from the rest of the body, oral health cannot be considered separate from the rest of childrenís health. Oral health actually includes all the sensory, digestive, respiratory, structural and emotional functions of the teeth, the mouth, and associated facial structures. INTRODUCTION PEDODONTICS & COMMUNITY DENTISTRY Oral health must be considered in the context of social, cultural, and environmental factors. Dental and oral disorders can have a profound impact on children, and the burden of untreated dental health problems is substantial. Untreated dental decay (cavities) can result in pain, infection, tooth loss, difficulty in eating or speaking, and poor appearance, all of which present challenges for maintaining self-esteem and attentiveness to learning. Chronic pain can alter a childís ability to sleep and play, and it hinders efforts to show them that their personal actions can make a difference in their own health. Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases. It is five times more common than asthma. By the first grade, more than 50 percent of children in the United States have dental caries (decay) in their primary teeth, and more than 80 percent of U.S. adolescents have dental decay by age seventeen. Despite the availability of cost-effective preventive measures and improvements in childrenís oral health, many children still lack needed care. There are significant and important disparities in oral health and access to dental care for poor and minority children, and for those with unusual health care needs. In addition, children from low-income families are much less likely to have access to dental care than their peers, and their disease is almost twice as likely to remain untreated. Sadly, the children at greatest risk for problems resulting from tooth decay are also those least likely to receive dental care. In fact, dental care has become the most frequently reported unmet need of children. PREVENTION OF DENTAL DISEASES Fortunately, most dental diseases can be prevented. The most common oral health problem for children is dental decay, which is preventable by a combination of community, professional, and individual measures, including water fluoridation, professionally applied topical fluorides and dental sealants (protective plastic coatings), regular use of fluoride toothpastes, and healthful dietary practices. Childhood is also a time to form healthful habits to reduce injury to the mouth or face, especially during sporting and recreational activities. Use of protective devices in schools may help young athletes recognize the hazards posed by their athletic interests and as they attain adulthood they may be more comfortable using the devices than if they had not used them at a younger age. A significant proportion of other oral problems, such as destructive gum disease and mouth and throat cancer, do not commonly arise until adulthood, and much of this burden can be attributed to the use of tobacco. Most daily smokers started smoking before age eighteen. School programs to prevent tobacco use could become one of the most effective strategies to reduce tobacco use. Community water fluoridation is the most effective way to prevent dental caries in all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or ethnicity; and it can reduce cavities in children by up to 40 percent. Yet, more than 100 Visit: http://image.idakunnamkulam.com/ The International Journal of Indian Dental Association, Kunnamkulam Branch. Indexed in Journals Master List of IC TM
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol No: 11 ISSUE No: 4 22 million people do not have fluoridated water. Where children do not have fluoridated water and dental screenings have identified them to be at high risk for dental caries, fluoride can be provided through school programs that offer supplemental tablets or rinses, and the importance of brushing with fluoride toothpaste at home every day can be reinforced. Unfortunately, fluoride has somewhat limited effectiveness on the chewing surfaces of teeth. Not surprisingly,. More than 80 percent of tooth decay in schoolchildren is on the chewing surfaces of molar (back) teeth. The use of dental sealants applied to the chewing surfaces can prevent 60 percent of decay on these surfaces, but only about one in four children have at least one sealed tooth. Among poor minority children, less than 5 percent have received dental sealants, except those who attend schools that have programs to assure access to this service. SCHOOL ñ BASED HEALTH CARE SERVICES. The School is a good setting for programs to assure that children have an opportunity to receive protective dental sealants in a timely manner to prevent tooth decay. Although such programs can be a component of more comprehensive dental programs, it is more common for school programs to be more narrowly focused on these effective preventive services. Dental sealants can be provided at school or through active referred to participating dentists in the community. Although these programs have been found to be effective among children of varying socioeconomic status and risk of decay, most such programs in the United States target those vulnerable populations less likely to receive private dental care, such as children eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch programs. Accordingly, these programs can not only increase the prevalence of dental sealants, but also reduce disparities in sealant use by race or income. Health education programs in schools can stress the importance of oral health, increase understanding of the disease process, promote healthful behaviors, and reinforce the value of regular professional care for prevention. Such a role for professional care may not be consistent with the experiences of children who have not received dental care or who only associate it with treatment of toothaches. Instruction of the children and their parents ñ through educational materials that are taken home ñ can help alleviate the consequences of some parentís own experiences and dental fears, which may impede their seeking care for their children. When preventive measures fail to completely stop disease, schools can assure that tooth decay is treated early so that it does not negatively affect learning and quality of life. Some schools have programs of screening and referral, which are not only helpful to the individual children referred for care, but also provide information that enables the public health system to target, organize, and evaluate programs. In addition, some have health centers on the grounds, which have been critical providers of health services for young people, particularly those who are uninsured. Central to the effectiveness of these centers are partnerships with community-based providers and collaboration with parents and school administrators. Through the initiatives described here, schools can make important contributions to the quality of life of low-income, minority, migrant and immigrant children, who frequently have difficulty accessing information and services for both the prevention of disease and dental care. When these children do not get the dental care they need, their already difficult lives can become even more stressful, and they may be less likely to overcome obstacles, achieve their dreams, and contribute to society. DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN The ideal dental-health education curriculum would encourage students to think about the relationships between knowledge, choice, behaviour, and enhanced human health. Knowledge and choice equals power, and having power and engaging in appropriate behavior can lead to enhanced human health. In addition to Visit: http://image.idakunnamkulam.com/ The International Journal of Indian Dental Association, Kunnamkulam Branch. Indexed in Journals Master List of IC TM
Page 2 and 3: IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 8 and 9: Dr. George Thomas IMAGE 2010-11 ISS
Page 72 and 73:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 74 and 75:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 76 and 77:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 78 and 79:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 80 and 81:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
Page 82 and 83:
IMAGE 2010-11 ISSN: 2229-5658 Vol N
show all

'satisfactory smile' with a restorative approach - Indian Dental ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?