Every year the American Dental Association (ADA) and your dentist join together to remind parents and caregivers to include a dental examination as part of their children’s routine back-to-school health check-ups along with immunizations.
“What some people are not aware of is that many issues involving overall health can be detected, monitored, and treated in the mouth,” explains Dr. Brogdon. Poor oral health or decay can affect a child’s physical health and performance in school.The end of the summer ushers in the beginning of the new school year for an estimated 56 million students this fall(US Census). This month is designated as National Immunization Awareness month and healthcare providers around the country are supporting the healthy back to school initiative.
The American Heart Association sites that harmful decay causing bacteria can enter the bloodstream from the mouth an cause serious health concerns. Proper nutrition, oral home care and dental examinations are the best defense against harmful bacteria and decay.
Tooth decay is the most chronic disease affecting children and is a disease that is not treated with immunizations or by physicians. “We are reaching out to our community to create the awareness that back to school check ups are essential to ensure our children are getting a healthy start to their education this year,” says Dr. Brogdon.
