February marks National Children’s Dental Health Month with the 2022 theme being “Sealants Make Sense.”. This month is sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA) in an effort to raise awareness regarding the oral health of our youth. Learning proper habits for brushing and flossing is ideal at a young age because it is as children that we learn the majority of the habits that we carry with us throughout our lives.
“Sealants on permanent molars reduce the risk of caries by 80%,” said Dr. Irene Hilton, chair of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention’s advisory committee. “If your dentist recommends dental sealants, it is part of a comprehensive caries management approach. I am excited that this year” National Children” Dental Health Month theme is about dental sealants, so more families are aware of this cavity-preventing treatment.”
The month is also especially important to us at Georgia School of Orthodontics, because we love setting kids up for a lifetime of great dental health! Having teeth and jaws that are properly aligned is just as important as keeping them clean. Straight, brushed and flossed teeth are the healthiest teeth!
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that all children be screened by an orthodontist at age 7, even if no problems are visible. Some parents may hesitate at the thought of starting orthodontic treatment at a young age, but we believe it makes more sense to intervene early and prevent damage before it begins rather than correcting damage after it occurs.
Guiding the growth and development of a child’s smile produces a much more stable, long term result that reestablishes normal growth patterns that can continue forward. It is often assumed that it is better to wait to initiate orthodontic care because as children grow, the abnormal issues will correct themselves. This is almost never the case. As imbalance continues, the growth discrepancy just amplifies into bigger and sometimes serious, permanent problems. Some results of early treatment include reducing the need for tooth removal, creating room for crowded erupting teeth, creating facial symmetry, preserving space for unerupted teeth, developing the dental arches leading to beautiful, broad smiles and correcting harmful habits, such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.
If you believe that your child is at the right age to receive an orthodontic evaluation, speak to your dentist or contact us at (770)351-7377 today!
