{"id":5456,"date":"2017-03-10T21:33:39","date_gmt":"2017-03-10T21:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ec2-52-14-78-51.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com\/?post_type=press-releases&p=5456"},"modified":"2018-05-09T22:32:09","modified_gmt":"2018-05-09T22:32:09","slug":"new-dental-tools-az-parent-kit-aim-curb-school-absences","status":"publish","type":"press-releases","link":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/press-releases\/new-dental-tools-az-parent-kit-aim-curb-school-absences\/","title":{"rendered":"New Dental Tools in AZ Parent Kit Aim to Curb School Absences"},"content":{"rendered":"

51 Million School Hours Per Year Missed Due to Oral Disease<\/h3>\n

PHOENIX<\/strong>\u00a0(March 10, 2017) \u2013 Preventing oral disease and developing good oral health is something that starts at birth. Thanks to a partnership between\u00a0First Things First<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation<\/a>, new parents are being provided the tools needed to establish good habits before they even leave the hospital.<\/p>\n

An oral health pouch has been added to the\u00a0Arizona Parent Kit<\/a>\u00a0to help parents be the first defense in preventing tooth decay in Arizona\u2019s youngest children. The Arizona Parent Kit is offered\u2013 free of charge \u2013 to parents of all newborns before they leave the hospital or birthing center. It contains resources to help parents support their child in each phase of their early development, from baby to toddler to preschooler, in recognition that 90 percent of brain development happens by age 5.<\/p>\n

\u201cTooth decay is the most common chronic disease faced by young children,\u201d said Joe Fu, First Things First\u2019s senior director for health. \u201cIt is also highly preventable. Because early experiences, including health-related experiences, determine whether a child develops in ways that promote learning, it makes sense to get an early start to good oral health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through the partnership with Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, each of the nearly 70,000 Arizona Parent Kits delivered every year will include a dental kit that contains tips about caring for a young child\u2019s teeth, as well as toothbrushes (one for a child, one for an adult) and fluoride toothpaste.<\/p>\n

Left untreated, tooth decay in young children\u2019s primary teeth puts them at risk for future problems like damaged permanent teeth; increased vulnerability to infections in other parts of the body, such as the ears, sinuses and the brain; impaired speech development; and poor performance or attendance at school due to dental pain. Dental issues are the leading cause of missed school days; one study estimates oral disease nationally causes kids to miss 51 million school hours per year.<\/p>\n

Through community-based oral health screenings and application of preventive fluoride treatments, First Things First and its partners have reduced the percentage of kindergarteners with tooth decay from 35 percent to 27 percent and have cut the percentage of kindergartners who have never been to the dentist in half, from 25 percent to 10 percent.<\/p>\n

Challenges remain. About 52 percent of Arizona\u2019s kindergartners have experienced tooth decay compared with 36 percent of 5-year-old children nationally. The partnership between First Things First and the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will help expand FTF\u2019s successful oral health efforts to parents of younger children.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncluding an oral health pouch in the Arizona Parent Kit draws attention to the importance of early oral health exams and routine brushing and flossing,\u201d said Executive Director of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Sandi Perez. \u201cParents don\u2019t realize infants and toddlers need to see the dentist by their first birthday and that caregivers can transmit cavity-causing bacteria to their infants through the saliva in their mouths. Cavity-free teeth mean a healthier mouth and body, which is essential for all children.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new dental kits join a robust array of resources the Parent Kit offers to new parents, including tools to:<\/p>\n