The American Dental Association defines oral health as “a functional, structural, aesthetic, physiologic and psychosocial state of well-being and is essential to an individual’s general health and quality of life. Now let’s review what it means to Kids Smiles and our Kids Smiles’ patients and their families.
Dr. Frank Sierra explains, “I explain that good oral health in pediatric dentistry is a child or teen with good oral habits, regular dental appointments, a mouth free of decay, a bite that functions properly to chew food and speak, and a smile that can be shared with good self-esteem.” That’s a mouthful right, but there is a lot to good oral health!
Good oral health is also a partnership between children, their families, dental professionals, and to some degree, the school system and anyone that has input in a child’s eating habits. It does “take a village”.
Daily preventive oral health care which includes proper brushing and flossing is critical to preventing painful and expensive dental problems. Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals can also contribute to better oral health.
Visiting the dentist twice a year is also something that parents should make a part of their children’s overall health regimen. Getting a dental professional examination of the teeth and soft palate, including radiographs, and review of proper dental and jaw development is one of the most important things in the quest for good oral health. Plaque can be removed properly before acids create decay and cavities, and a partnership with an orthodontist around age 7 can also help to determine if any alignment problems are developing. We are oral health partners with Blue Wave Orthodontics, as you may know.
The Kids Smiles pediatric dental specialists have a number of blogs that support their mission of providing the highest quality children’s dental health care. Make sure to check out our 6 Children’s Oral Health Facts which contains our 2-2-2 rule and our blog about The Importance of Good Oral Health.
