Establishing the best oral hygiene routine for children is the key to having healthy teeth with healthy smiles. As kids grow up, their oral hygiene habits should also grow with them and here is where dental health care providers and parents have an important role to do. Caries is not only one of the most prevalent health problems facing children and adolescents in the United States, but is the most widespread chronic disease worldwide and constitutes a major global public health challenge. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children with cavities in primary teeth are at great risk to have caries in their permanent teeth. Poor oral health can have detrimental consequences on physical and psychological well being not only in children but in people of all ages.
The program focuses was on the population of 2rd and 3th-grade students between the ages of 7 and 9, from the Ascension School in New York City. Instructive and interactive presentation consisted of power point, video, oral expositions and one to one demonstrations designed to provide education and awareness regarding the importance of dental hygiene, oral disease process and preventive measures as well as nutritional advice for elementary schoolers.
The main goal of this program was to increase awareness in the participant population regarding the importance of self-oral hygiene habits, the dental caries process, nutrition and effects of acidic food in oral health as well as the importance of dental sealants and fluoride use and applications.
