Orange County Children suffer more tooth decay than the state average

According to the Dental Health Foundation, preschool children in Orange County have a 33 percent rate of dental decay that’s higher than the average for the state of California. Dentists in the state are not surprised at the findings. For years now, they have been noticing a steady decline in the oral health of kindergarten and elementary school children in the state.

According to USC professor Dr Harris Done, part of the reason for this is that many of the children are fresh immigrants from Mexico and parts of South America where high quality dental care is a luxury. These children have a very weak concept of preventive dental care, and it's common for them to be given feeding bottles filled with sugary water for comfort. In the absence of proper brushing habits, these children have a range of dental problems by the time they come to the US. These include tooth decay, gum disease, gingivitis etc.

The Dental Health Foundation is based in Oakland, and works to promote dental oral hygiene through partnerships with local communities. Their statistics about the children in Orange County are based on a report published in 2006. According to USC, there are other studies that indicate that dental caries can be found in up to 50 percent of the student population in Orange County. Children in third grade have 75 percent tooth decay, and the results are just as grim in other age groups. In 2007, California enacted a law mandating kindergarten and first grade children in all public schools to have a dental health screening before beginning the school year. The law was enacted in part because school nursing staff in the Los Angeles Unified School District claimed that dental infections were the main reason that children missed school.

Throughout the County, children along with senior citizens and the disabled form a large number of dental patients.  That’s because young children are less likely to grasp the importance of dental hygiene. They also find it harder to maintain proper dental hygiene through brushing.  Besides, children are more likely to be at risk of an undesirable diet, including sugary foods, sodas, starchy foods, citrus fruits, peanuts, pretzels, potato chips etc.

That’s why dentists stress the importance of inculcating good dental hygiene habits in children and establishing these early. This includes limiting snacking on sweet and sticky foods.  Instead of crisps and wafers, include snacks that are good for oral health, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid giving babies sweetened milk in a feeding bottle. If your baby must have a bottle, fill it with plain water. Milk and juice can remain on the teeth for a long period of time allowing sugars to breakdown and attack the teeth.  Make it a habit to take your child, to the dentist for a check up very six months.  It will not only give your dentist a chance to check up on the condition of the teeth, but will also familiarize the child with the dentist's office environs, making dental visits anxiety free in the future.