{"id":13605,"date":"2019-02-11T20:13:43","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T20:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/?p=13605"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:38:11","slug":"dentist-in-arlington-heights-explains-the-importance-of-childrens-dental-health-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2019\/02\/11\/dentist-in-arlington-heights-explains-the-importance-of-childrens-dental-health-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Dentist In Arlington Heights Explains the Importance of Children\u2019s Dental Health Month!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/image-2019-02-24-1.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling child in the dental chair\" class=\"wp-image-13606\" width=\"295\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/image-2019-02-24-1.jpg 358w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/image-2019-02-24-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that tooth decay is the most common untreated\nchildhood disease? According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 1\nout of every 5 children aged 2-11 has at least one cavity. But, despite the\nprevalence of childhood cavities, the good news is that they\u2019re 100%\npreventable! Since February is National Children\u2019s Dental Health Month, it\u2019s\nthe perfect time to learn some valuable information about children\u2019s oral\nhealth and how you can help your child have a healthy smile. Not only will you\nhelp them minimize the dental work they need from a dentist in Arlington\nHeights, but you\u2019ll be setting them up for a lifetime of great dental health! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need-To-Know Statistics About Oral Health In Children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Cavities in children are 5 times more common\nthan asthma, 7 times more common than hay fever, and also more common than\nchildhood diabetes and obesity. <\/li><li>Countless studies have shown fluoride to be one\nof the most effective ways to prevent cavities, but around 100 million\nAmericans aren\u2019t getting effective levels of fluoride in their drinking water.<\/li><li>Over 80% of the cavities children get are on the\nchewing surfaces of their back teeth. These surfaces have tiny, microscopic\npits and grooves that can\u2019t be adequately cleaned \u2013 even with good brushing\nhabits. <\/li><li>The Center For Health and Healthcare In Schools\nfound that approximately 51 school hours are lost each year due to\ndental-related issues. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can You Prevent Oral Health Problems In Your Child? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although these statistics are concerning, there are several\nthings you can do to strengthen your child\u2019s teeth and prevent decay: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Schedule\nregular checkups<\/strong> \u2013 Regular visits with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/childrens-dentistry.html\">children\u2019s\ndentist in Arlington Heights<\/a> are a crucial part of prevention. They\u2019re also\nnecessary so that cavities and other problems are detected and treated when\nthey\u2019re as small as possible. Not to mention that you\u2019ll get valuable oral\nhygiene tips for keeping your child\u2019s teeth clean and healthy at home.<\/li><li><strong>Ask a\ndentist about sealants<\/strong> &#8211; These thin, durable coatings prevent\ncavity-causing bacteria from accumulating in the pits and grooves on the chewing\nsurfaces of the back teeth. Sealants have been found to prevent 80% of\nchildhood cavities. <\/li><li><strong>Find out\nabout fluoride<\/strong> \u2013 Fluoride is an important mineral that strengthens enamel\nand prevents cavities. Ask a dentist about the water in your area to make sure\nit has adequate fluoride. If not, they can prescribe a fluoride supplement so\nthe teeth that <em>haven\u2019t come in yet<\/em>\ndevelop as strong as possible. In addition, a dentist can apply topical\nfluoride treatments to strengthen the teeth that have <em>already come in <\/em>to prevent tooth decay. <\/li><li><strong>Limit sugar<\/strong>\n\u2013 Minimizing both the amount of sugar <em>and<\/em>\nfrequency with which your child consumes it is a big part of cavity prevention.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Cavities are very common in children but, with these tips,\nyou can prevent them entirely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/peter-kics-dds.html\">Dr.\nPeter A. Kics<\/a> is a general and children\u2019s dentist in Arlington Heights and\na graduate of Northwestern University Dental School. He loves working with\npeople of all ages and focuses on education and prevention to help his patients\nminimize the amount of dental work they need. If you have any questions about\nyour child\u2019s oral health, he can be contacted via his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/contact.html\">website.<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that tooth decay is the most common untreated childhood disease? According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 1 out of every 5 children aged 2-11 has at least one cavity. But, despite the prevalence of childhood cavities, the good news is that they\u2019re 100% preventable! Since February is National Children\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dentist In Arlington Heights Explains the Importance of Children\u2019s Dental Health Month!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"February is National Children&#039;s Dental Health Month! 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