51% of elementary students have cavities, according to pediatric dentistry group
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Doctors are calling attention to what they call the most common chronic childhood disease in the U.S. — tooth decay.
Five times more children experience cavities than asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
“We know that over 34 million school hours every year are missed because of a tooth problem,” said Dr. Scott Cashion, the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
The AAPD found more than half of children in elementary school have cavities.
“Going to the dentist regularly is just as important as going to the pediatrician or their family doctor on a regular basis,” said Cashion. “Because we don’t want children to be in pain or have problems with their teeth.”
February is considered National Children’s Dental Health Month, the AAPD hopes to raise awareness and money to help underserved communities.
“Our foundation over the last 10 years has been able to provide access to care grants for over 800,000 children to the tune of about $10 million,” said Cashion.
Through monetary donations, the AAPD Foundation said it helps nonprofit clinics, dental schools, and dentist-led organizations.
“We know that children that get care on a regular basis are going to have a lot less problems with their teeth over time if they start early,” said Cashion.
Doctors said untreated cavities make children more vulnerable to various infections and can lead to serious health complications.
“We want to help prevent that by getting them to that dentist at an early age, literally by the age of one or when the first tooth comes into the mouth,” said Cashion.
You can donate to “sponsor a smile” online.
“There’s a lot of information there concerning how to find health care for your child, whether that’s finding a pediatric dentist in your area and or finding a clinic in your community that has benefited from the access to care grants that our foundation has given out across the nation.”
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