Did you know that dental caries is the most widespread childhood disease? Pediatric dental caries goes by many names including childhood tooth decay, pediatric dental disease, and cavities. It might surprise you that childhood tooth decay is widespread among industrialized countries, and if left untreated it can have a serious negative impact on a child’s life. Children suffering from chronic childhood tooth decay can experience lack of self-esteem, inhibited social growth, delayed cognitive development and malnutrition. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA dentist, Dr. Amanda Foust shares some startling facts regarding pediatric dental caries.
Sad Facts
In the past, many people didn’t consider their dentist as important as their primary physician. It’s as if your mouth and teeth weren’t essential to your health and well-being. Your mouth is the first and foremost tool you need to maintain your nourishment. Without chewing and swallowing foods, and drinking beverages, you would die. You know this right? So why wouldn’t you consider your teeth and mouth essential to your life? Many of you probably consider your heart and your brain of the most importance, but without food and sustenance your heart and brain will not survive. That puts your mouth and teeth first and foremost. With that said, the following facts are startling:
- While 89% of children have visited their physician’s office by 12 months of age, only 1.5% of children have attended a dental visit by the same age.
- About 17 million children go without dental care each year in the US alone.
- Pediatric dental caries is more prevalent in children than asthma or hay fever. One of the most common chronic childhood diseases, asthma affected approximately 7.1 million children under the age of 18 in 2011. Pediatric dental caries is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.
- Chronic tooth decay can cause severe pain in children and can lead to infection.
- Results of chronic decay and/or infection can include problems with speech, problems concentrating, problems focusing, learning impairments, and problems eating that may lead to malnutrition.
- Childhood tooth decay left untreated can lead to bacterial infections and death.
About Dr. Amanda Foust
For more information regarding anything dental, call Dental Impressions of Ankeny, IA to schedule an appointment with Dr. Foust at (515) 965-0230. Since 2006, Dr. Amanda J. Foust has proudly provided compassionate and quality care to families in Ankeny, Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities.
