Good Dental Health Helps Kids Focus in School
Posted on February 26, 2019 in Kid's Health
Each year kids miss valuable school days due to dental problems. They end up spending time in the dentist’s chair rather than school. The dental health of children is critical for their overall health and well-being. When it isn’t correctly cared for, poor dental health can impact essential parts of a child’s development, including their time in school.
Dental problems and daily life
When anyone, adult or child, experiences pain or discomfort in the mouth, it impacts their quality of life. For children, it can impact their school day. They can experience:
- Decreased concentration
- Lower self-confidence
- Absences from school
- Performance-related issues
- Changes in speech
The dental health of children in school
Dental problems can lead to children missing partial lessons or entire school days. Thirty percent of children ages 6-12 missed school due to dental issues, as opposed to going to a regularly scheduled dental appointment. These absences were due to treatments beyond preventive care and did not include regular bi-annual dental appointments. Children from the ages 5-17 in the U.S. missed over 2,000,000 school days in 2019 due to dental issues—that’s an alarming number!
Children’s dental health is vital to their development and keeps them focused and confident in school. Parents admit that getting their kids to brush and floss is more challenging than having them do their homework or make their bed. However, starting good oral health habits now will lead to a healthier smile throughout your child’s life.
Here are some tips to encourage your school-aged children to stick with good oral health routines:
Click here to learn more about kids' oral health.
*Updated August 2022