Back to School

According to the American Dental Association, a dental examination is as important as immunizations and booster shots and should be a regular part of back-to-school preparations. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that tooth decay affects U.S. children more than any other chronic infectious disease and 19 percent of children ages 2 to 19 years old have untreated tooth decay. Dental pain or disease can lead to difficulty in eating, speaking, playing and learning as well as millions of hours of missed school.

Did You Know?

• Pediatric dental disease is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.
• Left untreated, pediatric dental disease can lead to malnourishment, bacterial infections, required emergency surgery and even death.
• Dental disease has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pneumonia, poor pregnancy outcomes and dementia.

The Good News? It is Preventable!

In the U.S. alone:

• Dental care is the most prevalent unmet health need of children in the United States
• An estimated 16 million children in America have untreated tooth decay
• More than 51 million school hours and 164 million work hours are lost each year due to dental disease, leading to increased educational disparities and decreased productivity
• For every $1 spent on oral health preventive measures, American taxpayers are saved as much as $50 in restorative and emergency procedures for the under and uninsured
• Only 1.5% of 1 year olds have had a dental office visit compared with 89% who have had an office-based visit with their physician
• 52% of new military recruits have oral health problems needing urgent attention that would delay overseas deployment

Request you child’s next dental appointment today, before the busy school year begins.