Tooth decay is major problem amongst toddlers today. In fact, just yesterday the New York Times published an article on the increasing number of preschoolers requiring extensive dental work due to excessive cavities – much of which ends up having to be done under general anesthesia which of course presents its own set of risks.
So what’s causing this tooth decay epidemic? A number of factors contribute to dental caries in children including:
- constant snacking and drinking sweet drinks including juice
- drinking and eating before bed without brushing
- “bottle mouth” (caused by parents allowing their child to suck on a bottle for prolonged periods of time)
- parents who give their children bottled water instead of tap water which contains fluoride
- kids not brushing and flossing, or doing so, but not properly and effectively
As a dentist, it’s heartbreaking for me to see a little guy or gal come in with a mouthful of cavities. While many parents think that because these teeth are not permanent, they do not play an important role in their child’s general health and wellbeing, unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth. A baby’s teeth perform many important functions including:
- enabling them to eat a wide variety of foods
- making speech possible
- aiding in the proper growth and development of jaw bones and facial muscles
- enabling them to maintain a physically attractive appearance
- reserving space for the permanent teeth and helping guide them into position
So, you can see why it is so distressing for me to have to break the news to parents that their young child has a mouthful of cavities.
That’s where Sesame Street comes in…
I was thrilled to learn about a new initiative led by the folks we all know and love at Sesame Street called “healthy teeth, healthy me“. This multimedia outreach program ingeniously uses Elmo and his lovable friends to motivate children ages two to five years of age, their parents, and caregivers, to maintain positive dental health habits. By empowering children to make healthy choices for their oral health, and educating adults about the benefits of instilling good oral health habits in their children early in life, this program can have a profoundly positive effect on our society’s future adults’ dental and overall health and wellbeing.
The fantastic activity sheets for kids, fact sheets for parents, brushing charts and other hands-on materials are available to download free of charge. The gameshow “Brush Those Teeth” features everyone’s favourite gameshow host, Guy Smiley, and gives kids helpful visuals that show them how and where to focus their brushing efforts. You also have to give a listen to Elmo’s catchy rapsong, “Brushy Brush” and the other fun tunes that are sure to entertain young and old while at the same time getting that all-important message out that caring for young children’s teeth is an important part of keeping their bodies healthy.
I have only two words to say about this amazing resource… “Steven like.”
Steven Deskin is a Dentist in general practice.
