Friday, February 22, 2013

Engaging in Oral Health for Children

A little boy was taken to the dentist. It was discovered that he had a cavity that would have to be filled. "Now, young man," asked the dentist, "what kind of filling would you like for that tooth?" "Chocolate, please," replied the youngster.

Chocolate would certainly have been my first choice when I was a child, but with three boys of my own, I know that oral hygiene is a key aspect of our overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gum disease, or periodontitis, is the second most common oral disease in the world after tooth decay. Beyond all of the trouble it can cause in the mouth – from bad breath and swollen gums, to jaw infection and tooth loss - periodontal disease causes chronic inflammation, which could play a role in other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Experts recommend children begin seeing a dentist before their first birthday. Beginning life-long practices of good oral hygiene in childhood is just as important as instilling healthy eating and exercise habits to make sure our kids live long, healthy lives. But more likely than not, those children who are not eating well also lack access to proper oral hygiene.

Recognizing this need in our community, UnitedHealthcare teamed up with Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry to launch Project Engage, an initiative designed to improve the oral health of children enrolled in the state’s Medicaid health plan. The program will begin by working with children and families in North Philadelphia with the goal of expanding the initiative to other parts of the state and country.

UnitedHealthcare's donation to Temple University will help build
an oral health registry to improve the dental health of Philadelphia children.

Project Engage focuses on improving the oral health of children by creating an oral health registry, which will use dental claims information and operating and emergency department histories to identify children at risk of developing tooth decay. Those children and their families will then be contacted by a community health worker to receive information, counseling and assistance with scheduling dental appointments. Public health dental hygienists will also be available to provide in-home care and additional treatments, such as fluoride varnishes and sealants, if needed. In addition, primary care physicians and general dentists will be trained on preventive screenings.

UnitedHealthcare has had great success with other oral health interventions across the country, so I’m looking forward to having one here in Pennsylvania. It’s certainly something worth smiling about! 

19 comments:

  1. Dental health is related to overall health.With technological advancements in cosmetic dentistry, we can change an ordinary or unpleasant smile into a magnificent smile.



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    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you for your comment. I agree, nothing beats a child's smile, and cosmetic dentistry plays an important role in keeping those smiles healthy. So too does the type of preventive care Temple University and UnitedHealthcare will make possible for thousands of children in Pennsylvania.

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  2. This blog is really informative i really had fun reading it.

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  3. The initiative which has been taken by UnitedHealthcare and Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry is really appreciated. To raise the awareness of children oral health this kind of initiation is very much essential. I heard about Pew’s Children’s Dental Campaign which provides cost effective policies for basic dental care of children. Being an orthodontist In Silver Spring Md I really appreciate such type of work.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment. By combining Temple University's clinical expertise with UnitedHealthcare's extensive claims information, we will promote oral health, expand access to care and reduce the prevalence of dental disease. This is yet another example of how UnitedHealthcare identifies unique opportunities to enhance the health delivery system and improve health outcomes. Thousands of children in Pennsylvania will benefit from this innovative program.

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  4. According to analysis, bacterium answerable for inflicting cavity among different health issues in children may be simply passed from caregivers to young children/infants. As a parent or caregiver, you want to so pay attention of your own oral hygiene/health to confirm that you just cut back the possibilities of passing on bacterium to your children.
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  9. As per the findings of Disease Control and Prevention center chocolate really harmful for children’s teeth. My own baby has gum disease due to excessive use of chocolate. I choose natural treatment for gum disease. Click here to read more about Prevent periodontal disease

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  10. As a preschool teacher in California and mother of two boys, I understand the need to ensure that our kids acquire and maintain healthy dental habits. With the recent budget cuts for dental programs here and throughout the US, I feel that it's my duty to increase my kids' awareness of the importance of caring for their teeth. That's why I took them on a field trip to tour a monrovia dental care facility. They helped teach the kids great habits such as brushing, flossing, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. They also showed them x-rays of what their teeth actually look like inside which the kids really loved. Let's continue to be conscientious about our children's oral health!

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