Dental clinic supports Children's Dental Health Month

  • Published
  • By Compiled from staff reports
  • 354th Medical Operations Support Squadron dental flight
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Members of the 354th Medical Operations Squadron dental flight visited children of Anderson Elementary School Feb. 20 and 21 to educate students on proper dental hygiene.

February is designated as National Children's Dental Health Month and Eielson's dental personnel covered a broad range of topics from diet and nutrition to what exactly a cavity looks like.

"The dental technicians visited the students to cover several important topics designed to educate and entertain the students in grades kindergarten to third," said Capt. (Dr.) Christopher Gerwig, 354th MDOS dental officer.

They taught children the importance of brushing their teeth twice a day, flossing daily and that regular dental check ups are essential for establishing good oral hygiene.

"The problems children face are similar to those faced by their parents," said Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Dreier, 354th MDOS dental technician. "Cavities, toothaches and difficulty eating are some common conditions children encounter."

She said the lessons were intended to improve awareness and lead to a healthy lifestyle.

Preventing Cavities
While the best protection against cavities is good oral health, additional steps can be taken to help prevent decay. Be sure to use toothpaste that contains fluoride. When a child's permanent back teeth erupt, parents should talk to the child's dentist about applying dental sealants. Sealants are a coating that goes on the chewing surface of the tooth and prevents cavities from developing in those areas.

Dental Habits
Children can develop dental habits at a very early age. While it is important to maintain good oral habits in children, it is equally important to understand and break the bad habits. Brushing should be a fun experience starting as soon as the first tooth erupts. Often if toddlers see their parents brushing, they will want to copy the behavior and will develop a routine. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

Dental Problems
If a child does develop cavities, the child should visit the dentist for an evaluation and possible fillings. Do not be under the misconception that children do not need to have cavities filled because their baby teeth will fall out eventually. The fact is that children may keep some of their baby teeth for a long time, often into their early teenage years. In addition, many of those cavities can be painful possibly affecting their focus or attendance in school.

Nutrition
Nutrition plays an important role in good dental health. Eating nutritional snacks and limiting the amount of sugary drinks will help to prevent plaque from forming on the teeth, thereby reducing the number of cavities.


"The children responded very well," Sergeant Dreier said. "Our activities and lessons were designed to get them involved in their dental hygiene and oral health; and they did just that."

Family members are encouraged to make Dental Health a priority in their homes and to help their children learn good habits from a young age.

One of those good habits is to receive regular dental checkups. If family members are not enrolled in the Tri-Care Dental Program, they can enroll by calling United Concordia at 1-800-866-8499 or by registering online at www.UCCI.com. For more information, contact the dental clinic at 377-1846, or just ask any child at the Anderson Elementary School.