OXNARD — February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. If you have a baby or toddler, you may have questions about thumb sucking, your child’s first dental visit or how and when to clean your child’s teeth. If so, on February 11th from 10am-2pm, Clinicas invites the Ventura County Community to join them for a dental health fair taking place at Rio Plaza Elementary, located at 600 Simon Way in the city of Oxnard. Clinicas will offer free dental health screenings, oral health information and free tooth brushes. There will be coloring activities, games, balloon art, prizes and more.
During the Dental Health Fair, parents will learn about when children should have their first dental visit, ways to prevent early childhood caries, when to expect changes from primary to permanent teeth, proper brushing and flossing techniques, thumb sucking, dental sealants, choosing the right mouth protector for active children and adolescents, and teaching their children to say no to tobacco. Parents will also learn about the importance of regular dental examinations and preventative dental services. We can make a difference in the lives of these children by educating their parents about the importance of oral health.
“Early Childhood Caries (cavities) is the number 1 chronic disease affecting young children and is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever”(American Academy of Pediatrics). The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends an oral health risk assessment exam by age one. “Last year we were able to establish dental homes for thousands of children in the county. Unfortunately, there are still many children who do not have a dental home and have to miss school because of tooth pain. My aim is to establish a dental home for all the children in the county by the age one and diminish the burden of Early Childhood Caries” said Dr. Jaspreet Bal, Dental Director at Clinicas.
For more information on the Dental Health Fair at Clinicas, call (805) 647-6353 or visit their website at www.clinicas.org.