How Dental Health Can Influence Your Child's Overall Wellness

Oral health is not simply limited to the mouth. Surprisingly, oral health can ultimately affect one’s overall health, even for children. While overall health problems may or may not show up immediately in children, it is vital for parents to practice and encourage great oral habits to limit their children’s current and future health concerns.

Pain

Many oral problems are caused by poor dental hygiene, such as insufficient brushing or flossing and a lack of dental examinations. However, it is important to note that some problems can come from physical abuse or from congenital abnormalities. Many oral problems cause pain even in young children. The pain often arises from dental caries, commonly called cavities, which wear through the protective enamel to the sensitive dentin. Oral pain can lead to poor sleep patterns, limited concentration in school and missed school days. According to Humana, dental problems lead to over 50 million missed school hours each year.

Poor Nutrition

Painful teeth and gums as well as missing teeth can lead to poor nutrition when children are unable to eat a nutrient-rich diet or a diet that is large enough for their age. Cavity-ridden teeth can be sensitive to hot and cold foods, and teeth that are missing due to cavities or oral abnormalities make it difficult to chew foods, such as meat and vegetables.

Mental Health

Oral health can even make or break mental health. Children may be embarrassed about discolored or missing teeth and may feel decreased self-esteem or increased anxiety, particularly in social situations. They may feel distracted by painful teeth and may have trouble concentrating.

Future Health Problems

Because many oral problems are caused by bacteria and viruses, these concerns can lead to health problems in the future. For example, diabetes and osteoporosis are directly linked to poor oral health. Other future concerns may include Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and stroke. Seeing a pediatric or family dentist regularly, such as Smith Family Dental or a clinic in your area, can decrease or eliminate these problems. Some of these health problems may not seem as if they come from poor oral health. However, parents and health professionals need to be on the alert for these physical and mental concerns that may indicate an oral problem. In addition, parents need to take their children for regular oral examinations starting at the age of one and ensure that their children’s teeth are brushed at least twice a day.