Gilchrist Dental Care Celebrates Dental Health Month

February is Dental Health Month! As our favorite month of the year, we like to bring dental health to the forefront through education as well as free exams and x-rays for our individuals in the community!

Did You Know...

Dental Health Month began 76 years ago as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio. The goal was to educate parents and caregivers about children’s dental health and the benefits of a healthy smile. To this day, tooth decay is still the most prevalent chronic disease among children and teens age 6-19, which makes education even more important.

This year’s National Children’s Dental Health Month’s slogan is “Choose Tap Water for a Sparkling Smile,” highlighting the importance of choosing fluoride-treated tap water over bottled water to keep teeth healthy. This month-long annual observance is a chance for thousands of dental professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to teach good dental hygiene and oral health.

 

Celebrating with Area Schools

What started many years ago with a single visit to Dr. Gilchrist’s daughter’s kindergarten class has now expanded to the entire community! Several members of our staff enjoy the opportunity to teach children about the importance of good dental hygiene habits and the effects your dental health has on your body.

We offer dental presentations to 450 preschoolers at the YMCA, Little Scholars, St. Stan’s, St. Bron’s, St. Joe’s, and The Imagination Center. These visits engage kids in learning how to take care of their teeth with the help of our trusty dragon puppets Daisy, Delilah, and Duke. Children respond to these special visits and the fun props that help illustrate brushing, flossing, and more. Plus, our staff members love to get out into the community to share our passion for dental health!

Celebrating with the Community

Dental Health Month is an opportunity for Gilchrist Dental Care to offer free dental exams and bitewing x-rays to anyone in the community. Come into our office for a free dental x-ray and exam, and we will identify any problem areas or concerns.

Rest easy this month. Whether you’re an established patient or a new patient, we’re here to improve your dental health!

Can gum disease threaten my health?

Yes. Infections in the mouth can reek havoc elsewhere in the body.  Since 1998, evidence has mounted to support the link between a person' s gum health and their overall general health. We do know that periodontal (gum) disease is a bacterial infection, and all infections are cause for concern.  While more research needs to be done, research is suggesting that periodontal disease may:

• Contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death.
• Increase the risk of stroke.
• Pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases, or osteoporosis.
• Increase a woman's risk of having a preterm, low birth weight baby.

How does this happen?  Researchers have found that when food is being chewed, diseased gums release significantly high levels of harmful bacterial components, such as endotoxins, into the bloodstream.  Once in the bloodstream, these harmful bacterial components can travel to other organs in the body, such as the heart, liver, and lungs, where they can cause harm.

The good news is that most gum diseases can be prevented or controlled.  If your goal is to live a healthy lifestyle, this is all the more reason to keep your dental health a priority!

“When should I bring my child in for their first dental visit?”

This is a common question I get asked almost weekly.   The ADA now recommends that parents take children to a dentist no later than their first birthday.  This is a change from what I was taught in dental school when we were told to recommend the first dental appointment between the ages of 30 and 36 months.  The thinking was that by that age the majority of baby teeth would have had a chance to come in.  Why has there been a change in philosophy?

On a whole, the incidence of dental cavities has steadily gone down over the past 50 years.  Water fluoridation and dental sealants have been big contributors to this trend.  What has been alarming, however, has been that the past decade has seen a marked increase in cavities in children between the ages of 1 and 5.  This has been attributed in large part to “baby bottle syndrome” and the extensive use of sipper cups filled with sugar containing fluids (e.g., juice).  Sometimes, by the time they are 3 years old, children have developed advanced dental decay and even abscessed teeth, posing an extremely difficult challenge to restore.  This, obviously, is not the way I would like to introduce a child to the world of dental care!

Seeing a child within 6 months of the time that their first tooth comes in gives a dentist the chance to catch potential cavities when they are much easier to fix, but even more importantly,  it provides us an opportunity to educate parents on those things they can do to prevent these issues from ever starting.  If there ever was a case for “an ounce of prevention” this is it.

The long term goal of these early visits is to provide this generation of children a lifetime of good oral care habits which will result in reduced anxieties and plenty of stress free dental visits!