February is National Children's Dental Health Month

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kadeem T. Smith
  • 66th Medical Squadron Dental Clinic
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  February is National Children's Dental Health Month. This year's theme is "Defeat Monster Month."

Each year, the American Dental Association sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health for children.

Often attention is focused on proper adult hygiene and preventive dental care for school-aged children. However, healthy practices and home care should begin during infancy in order to lay the foundation for a lifetime of oral well-being. 

"Developing good dental habits at an early age, and visiting the dentist early and routinely, will set the foundation for a lifetime of oral health and wellness," said Capt. Julie Anderson, 66th Medical Squadron dentist.

A common concern for many parents with young children is finger-sucking and/or pacifier use. T are considered normal in children up to the age of three, and are often associated with the need to satisfy the urge for contact or security. Although this is common, excessive use of a pacifier or finger-sucking can lead to many complications as the child gets older. 

Prolonged finger-sucking and use of a pacifier may cause improper alignment of the teeth or push the teeth outward. Excessive sucking forces and tongue movements can also change the growth of the jaw bones or slowly narrow the roof of the mouth. 

The severity of these effects depends on the duration and frequency of the causative behaviors.

There are several ways that parents can try to stop children from using a pacifier or sucking his or her fingers. Progressively trimming the pacifier (making it smaller) until the pacifier loses its effect is a relatively easy way to rid children of a pacifier. On the other hand, finger-sucking can be a very tough habit for a child to break. Placing a glove or bandage on your child's finger can serve as a reminder to the child that their fingers do not belong in their mouth. If a child is really persistent, parents can also talk to a local pediatric dentist for suggestions.

The most effective way for a child to break dependencies is by encouragement. When a child is not sucking their thumbs or using a pacifier, parents should praise them.

The dentist added that the key is to never get discouraged on trying to break children of unhealthy habits, and be open to trying new approaches.

According to the ADA, parents should start yearly dental check-ups for their children at an early age.

"Bringing children to annual dental visits will familiarize them with the dental environment, and foster a healthy perception of oral health," said Anderson. "Many parents want to wait until their child has a full set of teeth to bring them to the dentist. In reality, children should accomplish their first dental visit around their first birthday."

For further information on dental health, visit the American Dental Association website at www.ada.org or contact the 66 MDS Dental Clinic at 781-225-6324.