Dental Health Month

Would you believe that an average of 34 million school hours are lost each year because of emergency dental care? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), that’s true! It’s also true that by age 8, over half of all children will have had a cavity in one of their baby teeth and that children from low-income families are twice as likely to have cavities as children from higher-income families.

As we quickly approach February we want to recognize what American Dental Association has declared as National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Originally started as a one-day event in 1941, NCDHM was extended to a month-long celebration in 1981. The nationwide program raises awareness about the importance of oral health and how children can develop good habits at an early age.

The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) shared the following stats on children tooth decay:

• Tooth decay is the #1 chronic infectious disease affecting children in the United States.
• By age 5, about 60% of children will be affected by tooth decay.
• Children with oral health problems are 3x more likely to miss school.
• Delaying dental care to age 2 or 3 can have a negative impact on a child’s oral health.

A helpful way to keep children’s teeth healthy is with the 2-2-2 Rule: Visit the dentist two times a year and brush and floss two times a day for two whole minutes. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, more than 50% of children will be affected by tooth decay before the age of five.

I’m Safe! Is joining public health advocates around the world to help promote the benefits of good oral hygiene by providing resources such as My Bright, Sparkly Smile Activity Book and our Dental Health Teacher’s Guide. The Activity Book is an illustrated guide that portrays the importance of visiting the dentist, what your teeth can do for you, the best kind of toothpaste, and more. The Teacher’s Guide includes ideas for 5- and 15-minute time slots that make use of materials found in most classrooms.

At I’m Safe!, we know that if you are actively involved in injury prevention or child health and safety education then you have plenty of things to keep you busy. Our job is to make sure that we provide you with the highest quality products to support the important work you are doing to help keep communities safer and healthier. Let us know if there’s something we can help with as you continue to plan out your 2023 events!