Children’s Teeth Brushing Habits: The Facts
According to a survey released by the Ad Council today less than half (44%) of parents in the U.S. report that their child brushes their teeth twice a day or more. Dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease with more than 16 million kids suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S. The mouth is the gateway to a person’s overall health, and an unhealthy mouth can be associated with obesity, diabetes and even heart disease. In the U.S., oral disease causes kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually.
Typically the children from low-income families are the most targeted of youth for dental neglect and decay.  Many of the PSAs (public service announcements) are taking proactive steps to integrate oral health in children’s daily lives via media outlets like websites, Sesame Street and catchy songs to inspire little ones and their parents.
Don’t let your family become a negative statistic and take control of the oral health in your household. You can contribute to enhance your children’s social confidence, prevent treatable gum diseases, and stave away obesity, diabetes and inspire good dental health. As a parent, you can find creative ways to encourage and maintain consistent dental habits. Make it fun! Help find songs to hum while brushing, incorporate kid-friendly dental tools (brushes, toothpaste and floss), use “sticker charts”, find inspiring PSAs and videos that show brushing can be “cool” and is something that all children should be doing twice a day.
Cosmetic Dental Associates partners with you in protecting your children and providing a calm, kid-friendly dental environment that keeps them wanting to come back. We are committed to “No Fear Dentistry” and “Gentle Dentistry”. We take steps to ensure you are comfortable and understand what is happening next. It is important to provide a pain-free atmosphere where there is reduced stress and anxiety surrounding dentist visits.