Children’s Oral Health Vital to Overall Health

HARRISBURG, PA, UNITED STATES, February 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- February once again brings National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM), a public health campaign focusing on the importance of maintaining good oral health and developing healthy habits that will carry into adulthood.

This year, the American Dental Association (ADA) is focusing on the importance of good brushing habits, a critical factor in maintaining good oral health throughout life. According to the ADA, more than 40% of children have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten, and kids who suffer from poor oral health are three times more likely to miss school as a result of dental pain.

The good news is that tooth decay can often be prevented. The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) encourages parents and caregivers to help children develop good habits at an early age, including:

Brushing teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time for healthier teeth, fewer cavities, fresh breath and to avoid painful dental problems.

Flossing between teeth at least once a day. Break off about 18 inches of floss and use it to floss younger kids’ teeth or teach older kids how to do it themselves.

Establishing healthy eating habits. A balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables helps keep teeth and gums healthy. Avoid sugar and limit candy, juice, soft drinks and sticky treats.

Drinking fluoridated water. ADA continues to support water fluoridation at the recommended level of 0.7 parts per million, as 75 years of our best scientific evidence shows it to be safe and effective. Drinking water with fluoride has been shown to reduce cavities by 25%.

Visiting the dentist every six months for a checkup and professional cleaning. Seeing a dentist regularly is very important. Dentists can detect small problems before they become bigger, more painful problems.

PDA has a free downloadable lesson plan for parents and educators, along with a 2025 brushing calendar, additional educational activities and more information at padental.org/ncdhm. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/padentalassn and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/padentalassn and Instagram at www.instagram.com/padentalassn.

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About the Pennsylvania Dental Association
Founded in 1868, the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) is comprised of approximately 5,200 member dentists. It is a constituency of the American Dental Association (ADA), the largest and oldest national dental society in the world. PDA’s mission is to improve the public health, promote the art and science of dentistry and represent the interests of its member dentists and their patients. PDA is the voice of dentistry in Pennsylvania. For more information on PDA, visit our website at www.padental.org.

Zsofia Kandrot
Pennsylvania Dental Association
+1 7172345941
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