Back To School Means Back To The Dentist Too

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As part of the ritual of going back to school, parents will no doubt buy their children new clothes and supplies, and take them to the pediatrician for their annual check up. But Mark Helpin, D.M.D., acting chair of the department of pediatric dentistry at Temple University's Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, says that this is also the perfect time to schedule a dental check-up.

"So much of dental care is reactionary; parents will bring their children in only if there's a problem. But it's highly unusual for a parent to wait until the child is sick to take him or her to the pediatrician," said Helpin. "Just as you schedule well baby visits and health check-ups with a pediatrician, you should also schedule oral health check-ups with a dentist."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is the most chronic childhood disease in the U.S. five times more prevalent than asthma and seven times more prevalent than hay fever. Yet it is a condition that is entirely preventable.

Helpin says that the key to prevention lies with early, regular visits to the dentist, which should typically be every six months. In addition to treating and preventing tooth decay, both children and parents get valuable information about maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

The American Academy for Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children first be seen by their dentist within six months of the first sign of a tooth, and warns that without continued preventive care, poor oral health could lead to a number of health and development issues in adolescence and adulthood.

"It's important to establish a relationship with a dentist the same way you would with a pediatrician," Helpin said. "This is the idea behind the 'dental home' a place where an oral health care provider has established a relationship with the child. That doesn't mean just treating an issue; it also includes preventive treatment and nutritional counseling."

According to the AAPD, the concept of a dental home "enhances the dental professional's ability to assist children and their parents in the quest for optimum oral health care, beginning with the age one dental visit for successful preventive care and treatment as part of an overall oral health care foundation."

By including dental checkups in the back-to-school health screening process, Helpin says parents will be able to establish a routine where dental care and education are provided, to ensure good oral and overall health for life.