February is National Children’s Dental Health month, and Soddy Daisy Smiles is celebrating by offering kids without dental insurance an exam, cleaning and digital X-rays for $29.
Robert & Mandy Shearer“Children’s dental health is just as important as adults’, if not more so,” said Dr. Mandy Shearer. “We want to
help parents out by both providing good care and educating them on common dental problems kids can face.” From finding the right type of drinking cup for the right age to your child wearing the right mouth guard while playing his or her favorite sports, there is much to consider in the world of pediatric dentistry.
One of the biggest factors of children’s dental health stems from what they eat and when they eat it, Dr. Shearer said.
“Kids are eating foods and drinks high in sugar and starches more often and in larger portions than in times past,” she said. “A steady diet of sugary foods and drinks can ruin teeth and contribute toward tooth decay.”
Too much sugar on kids’ teeth provides food for bacteria which then produce acid that can eat away the enamel
on their teeth. While all foods have some type of sugar – and sugar cannot and should not be eliminated from one’s diet – Dr. Shearer says parents should monitor the types of sugar their kids eat and how much is being consumed.