Branford Healthy Smiles: Have YOU seen your dentist lately?

Have you seen the logo? Have you filled out a survey? Branford Healthy Smiles Program is the brainchild of BranfordCares, the Branford Early Childhood Collaborative (BECC) and the East Shore District Health Department (ESDHD). The first step in this program is a dental survey in Branford about oral health.  There are questions that ask about dental insurance as well as what problems do you have seeing a dentist on a regular basis. We want to know from you what you find important and what you find difficult in seeing a dentist in Branford. With this information, the dental coalition hopes to help institute programs in the Branford Community to help residents get better dental health care. To access the survey you can go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/BranfordSmileSurvey or fill it out in person at one of the Libraries or Town Hall and drop it in the drop box.

Dentists May Make You Nervous but Dental Health is Important

Do dentists make you anxious? Is it the pain or the needles? Is it the embarrassment of the condition of your mouth or is it simply a hassle to find the time and money to get your teeth cleaned and examined once every six months? Are you worried your child won’t sit still for a cleaning or an exam?

In 2001, 10% of adults were not getting needed dental care. By 2011 that percentage grew to 16%.  There has also been an alarming growth in dental emergency room visits in the U.S., from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2010. Poor dental health is associated with increases in the risk of heart attack and stroke; increased risk of delivering a preterm, low birth weight baby; and worsening of diabetes and kidney disease.

Our nation’s children do not fare much better. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports nearly one out of every five U.S. children has untreated cavities.  Connecticut reflects similar numbers in the latest published Connecticut 2006-2007 Dental Survey. It showed that 20% of preschool children, 16% of kindergarteners and 18% of third graders had untreated decay.  Only one out of every four U.S. kids has ever been to the dentist before they set foot in a kindergarten classroom.  More than a third of U.S. schools find it necessary to refer kids for treatment of dental problems.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, tooth decay is the number one most common chronic childhood disease. It is five times more common than asthma and occurs four times more often than early-childhood obesity. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools reports that American students lose more than 51 million school hours every year because of illnesses related to dental problems.

So, make a move today to call a dentist if you haven’t seen one in the last six months.  Introduce your young child to the world of dental care (the American Dental Association recommends children start seeing a dentist by age one). Be a role model for health for your children and those around you. If you are on HUSKY call toll free 1-855-283-3682 to be referred to a dentist near you. If you need to find a dentist, and you have private insurance, you can go to the Connecticut State Dental Association website.