TAKING A BITE OUT OF TOOTH DECAY

- Why America’s Children Still Suffer from a Preventable Childhood Disease and What We Can Do to Stop It -

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (January 9, 2012) - If you had the power to help prevent a childhood disease, would you? You do. Parents, school nurses and teachers are in a unique position to help eradicate tooth decay, the most common chronic childhood disease today. In fact, parents have been shown to have the greatest influence [1] on whether children brush and floss, what they eat, and how often they visit the dentist. 

In honor of Children’s Dental Health Month in February, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation — in conjunction with the New Jersey Dental Association and Give Kids A Smile — is encouraging parents, educators and school nurses to take a greater role in children’s oral health. 

This is the message of a public service announcement by the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation starring Julia Barr, Emmy-award winning actress from All My Children, mother and wife of a dentist. “Tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever,” noted Barr. “More than 51 million school hours are lost due to dental-related illness each year.[2] Yet tooth decay is easily preventable with proper oral care.” This year, Barr joins the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the New Jersey Dental Association and Give Kids A Smile in the hope that people will share the PSA with their friends on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via e-mail to spread the word. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Tooth decay affects more than one-fourth of U.S. children aged 2-5 years and half of those aged 12-15 years. About half of all children and two-thirds of adolescents aged 12-19 years from lower-income families have had decay.”[3]

From Infant to Teen: Tips on Oral Health from a Pediatric Dentist. 

Almost all tooth decay can be prevented with a healthy diet, good tooth brushing habits and regular visits to the dentist for preventive care, according to Douglas B. Keck, D.M.D., M.S.H.Ed., Connecticut-based pediatric dentist. He shares the following tips:

• Teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they first appear, when children are around 6 months old. Avoid putting a baby to bed with a bottle of milk, formula or juice. The liquid can pool around the teeth to cause decay.

• Wipe a baby’s gums with a clean damp gauze pad. This will remove plaque and bits of food.

• Bring your child to the dentist when the first tooth erupts or before age on

• Set good examples for your child(ren) with your own brushing and flossing habits.

• Help young children with their brushing and flossing. Monitor brushing and flossing with older children and teens. Use a fluoride toothpaste. Make brushing and flossing fun.

• Avoid sugary snacks and drinks; serve nutritious foods and beverages. Sugary treats such as cookies, candy, and fruit snacks mix with bacteria in the sticky plaque that constantly forms on teeth to generate acid, which can wear away enamel and cause tooth decay. 

• Take children to the dentist every six months. Talk to your dentist about dental sealants to help protect your child’s teeth.

• If your children play sports, have them fitted with mouthguards.

• Teach your children about the connection between oral health and overall health.

“Children’s Dental Health Month may be in February, but good oral care is important all year long,” said Dr. Keck.

During February, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation is offering a full roster of original and sponsored events expected to reach more than 10,000 children, parents and educators with the message about good oral health. Captain Supertooth, Delta Dental’s caped crusader, will visit more than 25 schools and more than 7,000 kids in kindergarten through second grade in New Jersey and Connecticut. Captain Supertooth and Delta Dental of New Jersey employee volunteers will be at Children’s Dental Health Awareness Day at the Liberty Science Center on February 26, 2012. 

The Foundation is working with the New Jersey Dental Association on the annual Give Kids A Smile Day, Feb. 3, 2012, projected to be the largest yet in the U.S. This free event provides cleanings, screenings, X-rays, fillings, extractions, fluoride treatments, oral health education and other services at locations throughout the country on a single day. In some cases, it is the first visit a child may have with a dentist.

About Delta Dental 
Delta Dental of New Jersey Inc. is New Jersey’s leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.5 million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental system offers seamless dental benefits administration for employer groups throughout the country and has the largest network of dentists in the nation. For more information, visit www.deltadentalnj.com.

About Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation
Delta Dental established the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation in 1986. Its mission includes promoting and assisting educational projects devoted to the enhancement of dental health, providing research programs designed to increase public awareness of the general benefits of good oral health, and improving dental health through the science of dentistry. Each year, Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation provides financial support to various organizations throughout the state.
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^{[1] DDPA 2009, Children’s Oral Health Survey, Aug. 7, 2009, Morpace Market Research & Consulting, Survey Results presentation
[2] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health,” Rockville, Md.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. NIH Publication No. 03-5303, Spring 2003..
[3] http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/doh.htm}