Your Child's Future Lies in His Mouth

A silent plague affecting children is slowly creeping into both wealthy and poor households all over the world, causing decreased learning potential, stunted growth and development, diminished ability to fight diseases, and eventually leading to dwindling self-esteem, poor social-interaction skills, and less chances for success later in life.

The culprit-poor oral practices that result in the development of dental carries, teeth misalignment, gum abscess, bad breath, and so on. These problems, if left undetected and untreated, will directly have a negative impact on the child's health and social development. Tooth decay and gum disease, for instance, will directly affect a child's ability to chew food properly, leading to poor digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Bad breath or halitosis, on the other hand, will deter the child from mingling with other children for fear of being teased, hence alienating himself or herself from his or her peers.

Statistics gathered by the World Health Organization show that around 90 percent of Americans suffer from cavities. This figure supports the fact that tooth decay is among the most prevalent, and alarming, health problems not only in developing but also in highly industrialized countries such as the United States.

The good news-these oral diseases are highly preventable. Parents can start by training their kids to avoid sugary and starchy foods such as candies and cookies. Sugar left on teeth will be converted into acid by bad bacteria in the mouth. The acid will, in turn, drill off the tooth's enamel, causing cavities. The training should also include regular dental checkups, proper brushing techniques, and the habitual use of highly effective oral-hygiene products. Aside from the mainstay fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes, the market is teaming with dental products packed with vitamins-particularly vitamin B6, which is found to facilitate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the mouth, hereby hampering the proliferation of the cavity-causing ones. A daily habit of popping in vitamin C pills will also help strengthen the gums.

Local government units, primary schools, day-care centers, child-health organizations, health workers, and dental-health advocates have consolidated efforts to raise awareness and empower citizens to participate in the global quest to eradicate this epidemic from the face of the planet. They have tapped the mass media to join them in their quest to provide an effective dental health education campaign to the masses. Government groups and private companies are also joining in this "fight against cavities."

In June this year, the federal Maternal and Child Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services of Washington DC, awarded a three-year cooperative contract to the Children's Dental Health Project-a nonprofit organization that provides innovative solutions to address dental problems in children. This team-up is expected to provide effective policy options to promote children's oral health.

Prevention is always better, and more cost-effective, than cure. If people are educated of the benefits of proper oral care, especially of the children's, then this oral dilemma will be solved in no time.

Strong teeth and healthy gums will definitely make life easier and the future brighter for our kids. That's another reason to smile.