Good oral health is essential in maintaining a healthy human body and in enhancing the ability to perform important oral and ingestive functions, such as talking, chewing, and swallowing (7). Among the pediatric population, specifically in infants and children 14-years-old and under, dental caries is one of the most common preventable chronic diseases worldwide (3,5,6,15). “More than eighty percent of the pediatric population is affected by dental caries by age seventeen” (21). Dental caries occur due to the continuous erosion of tooth surfaces from repeated exposure to acids that are produced during bacterial fermentation of food (15). This disease affects everyone: “both males and females, all races, all socioeconomic status and all age
…show more content…
For instance, children of low socioeconomic status (lower household income, low educational levels, and low occupational backgrounds) were associated with a higher risk of developing caries than children of mid-high socioeconomic status. High caries in low socioeconomic status is also linked to the increasing availability of cheap sugary products coupled with low income, inability to afford health service, and poor access health education. Typically, low socioeconomic children visit dentists for a dental problem whereas mid-high socioeconomic children visit dentists for an annual checkup. On the contrary, there are some studies that show that there is a direct relationship between dental caries and socioeconomic status. This is due to an association with an increased availability to eat high sugar-containing foods and beverages in urban areas and in high socioeconomic children. Surprisingly, all studies show that children are not likely to get their dental caries treated regardless of socioeconomic status. This shows that there is an overall low priority placed on oral health …show more content…
The study emphasizes the imperative need to reduce the development of caries in addition to getting children to the dentist for regularly cleanings and timely treatment of dental caries. As a result, establishing public policies and prevention programs aimed at reducing the incidence of dental caries, increasing access to oral health services, and promoting oral health education programs for parents/guardians in order to raise awareness will improve a child’s overall oral health and it may also be more cost effective, considering the cost of a simple filling is significantly less than the cost of a root canal or
For instance, children of low socioeconomic status (lower household income, low educational levels, and low occupational backgrounds) were associated with a higher risk of developing caries than children of mid-high socioeconomic status. High caries in low socioeconomic status is also linked to the increasing availability of cheap sugary products coupled with low income, inability to afford health service, and poor access health education. Typically, low socioeconomic children visit dentists for a dental problem whereas mid-high socioeconomic children visit dentists for an annual checkup. On the contrary, there are some studies that show that there is a direct relationship between dental caries and socioeconomic status. This is due to an association with an increased availability to eat high sugar-containing foods and beverages in urban areas and in high socioeconomic children. Surprisingly, all studies show that children are not likely to get their dental caries treated regardless of socioeconomic status. This shows that there is an overall low priority placed on oral health …show more content…
The study emphasizes the imperative need to reduce the development of caries in addition to getting children to the dentist for regularly cleanings and timely treatment of dental caries. As a result, establishing public policies and prevention programs aimed at reducing the incidence of dental caries, increasing access to oral health services, and promoting oral health education programs for parents/guardians in order to raise awareness will improve a child’s overall oral health and it may also be more cost effective, considering the cost of a simple filling is significantly less than the cost of a root canal or