Friday, February 9, 2018

Children's Dental Health


Being in Community Resources, we are responsible for updating the Bergen ResourceNet with the monthly wellness topic. This month's topic is children's dental health, since February is National Children's Dental Health Month. They also work to relate this wellness topic to other information on the Bergen ResourceNet, so in this case, different dentists or clinics that are free or low of charge to Bergen County Residents. The post includes information such as why children's dental health is important and how it affects a child's overall wellness. Tooth decay could lead to malnutrition, since the child will not be able to chew and digest the food and get the nutrients necessary from it. The post also includes proper oral health tips such as brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes, lowering your soda intake (since the sugar continues to stick to the tooth surface), and changing your toothbrush regularly (about every 3-4 months). Even though dental health seems to have a slight impact on the child overall, it actually shows to have much more of one than I initially thought. Tooth decay and other dental issues on baby teeth could only lead to dental issues in permanent teeth or even gum disease. As stated before, it also could lead to lack of nutrients since food cannot be digested properly. It also could leave the child more vulnerable to pain and lower self-esteem.