A healthy mouth is a happy mouth... and heart, and body
A recent study by the Pew Center on the States concluded that 1 in 5 children in the country are lacking proper access to dental care. That translates to about 17 million, according to the report. That is 17 million children without cavity prevention and care.
This is a problem because all those 17 million are at risk for severe complications that may impair their daily functions, or even kill them. There is no doubting that the human mouth is a very dirty place. It is dirty in that normal flora, bacteria that should be there, are always there. The human mouth is teeming with bacteria. Kept under control by the immune system and proper oral hygiene, these bacteria cause no problems. They even aid in digestion.
When bacteria from the mouth travel to other parts of the body, they cause some very severe complications. Anything from bacteremia (bacteria in the blood) to endocarditis (inflammation/infection of the lining of the heart muscle) can be attributed to oral infections gone bad. (There is even some slight evidence that oral health is a predictor of cardiovascular health.)
The Pew report states that Maryland and five other States are doing well in providing access to dental health to children, meeting 6 of 8 benchmarks. Yet neighboring States did not score as well. (Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia scored an "F" for meeting 2 or less benchmarks. DC and Virginia scored a "C" for meeting 4 or less benchmarks.) That's a good sign for Maryland, but other States, whose children and people still use Maryland's health care system, should step it up.
While the government catches up in its policies, there are actions that you as a parent can do to guarantee good dental/oral health:
- Instill in your children a habit of brushing and flossing consistently, particularly after meals.
- Visit your dentist on a regular basis as your dentist recommends.
- Scale back drinking sodas and other acidic drinks that wear down tooth enamel (the hard surface of a tooth).
- Always treat any toothache or mouth sore as a serious condition and consult your physician about it.
Image courtesy of Wonder Mile/Flickr
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