February is National Children's Dental Health Awareness Month

“Our most common disease isn’t the cold – it’s tooth decay!!  Nearly everyone has it,” says Gail VanBockern, Grand County Public Health Nurse.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month.  And here in Grand County, dental health awareness is especially important since so many families lack dental insurance.  According to a 2004 survey by the Grand County Public Health Department, only 45% of local children have ever been to a dentist.  Furthermore, only 18.6% of children with Medicaid in the northwest region of Colorado (including Grand County) received dental care during 2004, compared with 31% statewide.

These staggering statistics illustrate a growing need in the community. Many Grand County families work 2 to 3 jobs due to the nature of the tourist industry, and many of their employers do not offer health or dental insurance.  Additionally, most of these families make too much money to qualify for Medicaid or CHP+. Therefore, they are uninsured and have little to no extra money to pay for doctor or dental bills.

Even families whose children are covered by Medicaid or CHP+ often face a barrier when trying to access dental services in Grand County.  No dental provider in the county accepts Medicaid or CHP+, making it difficult to provide preventative dental care for children.  Some local dental providers have actually tried to accept these programs but have been thwarted in their efforts by the system itself.

Dental health is an integral part of a person’s overall health, regardless of age.  Just like anything else, good oral health attitudes and habits need to be established at an early age in order to maintain beautiful smiles throughout life. 

In fact, oral health is an important part of a child’s readiness for school.  The American Dental Association recommends that a child should have its first “well-baby checkup” at the dentist within six months of the appearance of the first tooth, but no later than the child’s first birthday.  As soon as the child’s first tooth appears, tooth decay can begin. 

By the 3rd grade, children should have sealants put on their teeth.  Sealants provide a protective layer that keep decay-causing bacteria at bay.  The cost is approximately $75 per tooth, usually placed on the back 4 molars.  A total cost of $300. 

This $300 is a lot of money, especially for a family who struggles to pay their bills, or has multiple kids.  Preventative treatment, however, is much less costly than restorative.  Restorative treatment, like fillings, crowns or root canals, range in cost from $75 - $3,000.  And those prices are just for one tooth!  Not to mention the exorbitant cost of implants and dentures. 

You can prevent tooth decay for you and your children by:
1. Brushing for 2 minutes at least twice a day.
2. Flossing regularly.
3. Visiting your dentist twice a year.
4. Easting a well-balanced diet, limiting starchy and sugary foods.

Your teeth must last a lifetime. 

Even if you don’t have dental insurance, you can plan for your family’s regular dental check-ups simply by budgeting and saving.  Create your own dental health savings plan and put $10 into savings every month.  Even the most limited budget can afford $10 a month.  That’s 1 lunch in a restaurant.  Plus, most dentists will allow you to pay your bill in segments. 

All this preventative stuff may seem like a lot of effort when your teeth are healthy.  But what happens when your child starts complaining about a toothache?  He becomes less cooperative.  His concentration decreases.  His grades may drop and he might even get in trouble at school.

Severe cases can lead to an abscessed tooth, requiring a root canal or extraction.  Left long enough, the untreated abscessed tooth can damage the jaw bone.  The infection can even enter the brain, which can result in death.  

All of this can easily be prevented.  Make sure your family has a dental “home.”  Use the same dentist, just like you would a doctor.  Using the same dentist is important because he will recognize changes in your mouth, maybe even before you do. 

The Grand County Public Health Nurses and the Grand County Rural Health Network have been diligently working to increase access to dental care here in the county.  Last spring, 349 of approximately 1,700 school-aged children were screened to determine their oral health need. Of those children, 181 were treated at a mobile dental van which came to the county for 30 days in 2007. 

Great steps for a small community.  But 95 of these children still need restorative treatment.  Due to high cost, the mobile dental van will not be returning in 2008.  Public Health and the Network are working on other solutions so the county’s children can access dental care, which may include a program with the local dentists.

In the meantime, the Advocacy for Children’s Health and Education (A.C.H.E.S.) Program provides medical, dental and mental health vouchers to uninsured children who qualify financially.  The A.C.H.E.S. Program is considered a short-term solution to the dental health crisis until a sustainable solution can be reached.  Potential plans include a community care clinic, or similar model, in the Granby Medical Campus to be open in spring 2010. 

Until then, the A.C.H.E.S. Program is in place to help children in need of dental care.  If you know your child needs dental care, and you cannot afford treatment, please contact Public Health at 970.725.3288 or the Network at 970.887.3064 to determine if you qualify for this program.