Otero College Child Development Services recently celebrated National Children’s Dental Health Month with free dental screenings for enrolled children.
CDS teamed up with Valley-Wide Health Services and High Plains Community Health Center to provide screenings for Head Start and Early Head Start children in Lamar, Las Animas, La Junta, Rocky Ford and Manzanola. During the events, a total of 169 children received screenings. Area dental providers were able to identify children with high and moderate dental needs. Family Health Advocates and Home Visitors will now work with families to support families in identifying dental homes and ensuring continued dental care.
During the visits, children and families were able to talk to the dental teams and learn about oral hygiene. Children were introduced to equipment and the dental team in a friendly, safe and positive environment.
The outreach is part of CDS’ overall effort to help families find dental homes and receive the appropriate screenings. Data shows that children must be healthy to be ready to learn. This also includes having healthy teeth and gums.
Information shared by the Office of Head Start states “the health of a child’s mouth can affect all aspects of a child’s life. Children with poor oral health may: have a hard time concentrating and learning because they are in pain; miss more school days; develop other serious health conditions, such as infections; stop smiling, cover their mouth with their hands when they speak or withdraw from family, friends and teachers if others comment on the appearance of their teeth.”
To keep mouths healthy, OHS encourages children to:
Brush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
Drink water throughout the day.
Limit foods and drinks with added sugar.
Visit a dentist by age 1.
