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MAKING A difference One Child at a Time By Maribel Santos-Cordero, DMD
PEDIATRIC DENTAL DISEASE IS AMERICA’S MOST COMMON CHRONIC CHILDHOOD ILLNESS. Cavities can form at any age. Despite parents’ best efforts, 60% of children will have a cavity or filling between the ages of 5-9y/o.
The mouth can harbor germs that subsequently are aspirated, resulting in airway infections.
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GULFCOAST FAMILY LIVING
Dental caries, gum disease and other oral conditions can cause millions of children pain so severe that it affects their ability to eat, sleep and learn, communicate, and thrive.
Dental caries is 5x more common than asthma.
Children with Early Childhood Caries may be severely underweight because of pain and disinclination to eat. Nutritional deficiencies during childhood can interfere with remembering, problem solving and decisionmaking process.
Healthy teeth are fundamental to the overall health and development of a child. Early detection and timely intervention can prevent the need for more extensive and expensive care often required when problems have gone unrecognized and/or untreated.
