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Children with disabilities or other health impairments require assistance of adults to live to their fullest potential. Although childhood caries is not a typical disease when considering disabling chronic illnesses, it is becoming a global health crisis that affects children in many ways. According to the United States Surgeon General’s report from the US Department of Health and Human Services (2000), dental caries is stated to be the “most common chronic childhood disease of children aged 5 to 17 years and is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.” Childhood caries can severely affect a child’s quality of life in the areas of overall development, family relationships, community relationships, and educational challenges; the collaboration of parents and teachers is essential in treating and preventing childhood caries, not only in the United States, but also around the world.
Overall Development
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Oral health has a significant effect on the quality of life for a child.
The oral cavity is the body’s first defense. Almost all basic daily functions such as breathing, eating, sensation, and immunization, involves functions of the mouth. In children, there is a connection between what happens in their mouth to what happens to the rest of their bodies. Having a toothache will directly affect a child’s life. A child may have problems eating and sleeping because of childhood caries leading to a negative impact on physical and cognitive development of the child. A cross-sectional study, undertaken by Acharya and Tandon (2011), found that 57.6% of the children in the group had problems eating. Childhood caries creates a cycle of poor health. Eating problems adversely affect a child’s nutrition and poor nutrition can lead to a higher risk of caries and therefore increase problems with eating affecting the physical development of the
child. Acharya and Tandon’s (2011) study showed that 44% of the group of children had problems during sleeping due to caries in their mouth. In addition, almost a third of those children who had sleeping problems awoke from sleep frequently, 7% of the children cried while sleeping, and 6% both awoken and cried during sleep. Sleep is important for the healthy development of a child. Too little sleep can affect a child’s growth and immune system, cognitive function, decision making, emotions and behavior, and many other aspects of physical health. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2012), hormones are released during sleep that promotes normal growth in children. If their sleep is consistently interrupted, the child’s growth may be affected. In addition, children with sleep deficiencies may have trouble fighting common infections because their immune system responds differently. Sleep helps the brain work properly, enforcing and forming new neurological pathways that allow children to remember the information that they learned during their day. Children do not learn as well when sleep does not reinforce those pathways. Sleep deficiency also alters activity in some parts of the brain causing trouble in making decisions and emotional, impulsive behavior that can lead to children having problems with their social wellbeing. Family Relationships Childhood caries hinders a child’s overall development by causing sleep deficiencies and poor nutrition, but not only is the individual child affected. A child is a component of the family. Parents, or other caregivers, have a fundamental interest in the health and wellbeing of their child. When a child is unwell, parents and other family members also suffer. Further evidence from Acharya and Tandon’s (2011) study shows that 10% of the parents who have children with caries have problems at their work. These problems include the inability to concentrate, having to leave work, and having to come back early from work due to their children having dental caries. The study shows that a portion of parents of children with caries is unable to efficiently provide for their child because of their concern for them.
There are many opportunities out there for hygienists to deliver the health care message to not only the individuals that cannot afford to go to the dental office, but also the individuals like older citizens and disabled individuals and to different schools around the nation. With that being said, it is not only just the hygienist job to provide that information. Other healthcare professionals are expected to come together and commonly agree on accurate information to specific individuals. “Healthcare professions, including dental hygienists, nurses and physicians should be communicating with each other and working collaboratively for common health care goals. This is the way that we should be practicing and also educating the future” (Pera). It is important to educate children now and get it in their heads that taking care of their teeth and gums and also their body in general is a good way to be successful not just now, but in the future as well. In order to do so, all health care professions are required to step up and come together to inform the young children in schools as well as the underprivileged people who lack the knowledge
Dentistry as a profession over the years has evolved rapidly in light of new scientific evidence. Rapidly evolving science and technology have implemented changes within dentistry as evidenced by new standards and guidelines being produced by nationally recognised associations including National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) in Scotland, in provision of new scientific evidence. The latest standards and guidelines produced, endorse everyday clinical practice through evidence based dentistry (REF). All dental professionals as part of continued professional development are expected to keep to date on relevant guidelines and knowledge related to their practice (REF). This is supported by the General Dental Council who state all clinicians must maintain their professional knowledge and competence throughout their working career (REF).
The lack of knowledge and awareness can cause an increased risk for chronic diseases that can impact a patient’s way of life. There is also a correlation between nutrition and the oral cavity, which a poor diet can cause an increase risk for dental caries.
Halitosis is the medical term for Bad Breath. When people think of bad breath they automatically think that food is the cause of the bad odor. When in reality there are many factors that can lead up to bad breath. Yes food is one of them but there are other reasons as to why a person may be experiencing bad breath or teeth staining. A person may experience bad breath or teeth staining because they may have a health problem that is causing the odor other factors are smoking and chewing tobacco.
Another preventive way to help children build stronger teeth is water fluoridation prevents 2/3rd of children from them not getting cavities. (Evans par. 6) Fluoridation benefits children and let alone fifty percent of the dental bills were cut in price. (Evans par.6) The future is looking bright for the children getting better dental and oral health services. Approximately 8.7 million children are expected to gain some form of dental benefits by 2018. (Evans par.8) Regular preventive dental care, such as cleaning and regularly brushing and flossing, improve the overall health and brightens up your life. (Wallace par.1) Keeping up on the regular cleaning at the dental office, which is once every six months, helps out tremendously but some people need more then twice a year. (Payne par.5)
If you have diabetes, you probably know that uncontrolled blood sugar levels can negatively affect various organs in your body, including the heart, kidneys, nerves and eyes; however, did you know that inconsistent blood glucose levels can also lead to periodontal disease? Periodontal disease often leads to dental pain which can make chewing difficult. There is also the possibility of tooth loss.
Healthcare is a necessity to sustain society. Dentistry is an area of healthcare that I feel extremely passionate about because access to proper dental care is limited, especially in the underserved communities. As an African American, I want to become a dentist and healthcare provider in the hopes of helping patients and adding to the diversification of the field. With a growing minority population in the United States, it has become apparent that there is a shortage of black dentists. This is problematic because underrepresented minorities are in great need of access to culturally connected dentists who understand their clinical needs as much as their lives and their challenges. I believe that when the profession includes a range of ethnicities
Children should be taught how to brush their teeth and be encouraged to have good dental hygiene to prevent cavities and any other dental problems. They should be taught about good hygiene such as hand washing to prevent germs.
As I started my new journey of becoming a dental hygienist, I came into the program with no background of dental. I came into this program with an open mind and willing to embrace new concepts as well as develop new skills. During my time at the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene (CADH), I learned that as a dental hygienist that I am committed to promoting and helping each individual achieve their optimal oral health goals. In support of my client’s goals, I may assume any or all of the roles included in the dental hygiene scope of practice. My goal throughout this program was to help my clients achieve their optimal oral health goals through education, health promotion and providing preventive and clinical therapy.
Over time as individuals age and are faced with access to care issues they may begin to neglect their oral health. As time passes between dental hygiene cleanings or dentist visits the presence of oral disease may begin to increase.
Introduction: In Canada, general dental health is not part Canada’s national system of health insurance (Medicare) (1) except for some dental surgical procedures that are performed at hospitals. Since Oral health does not come under the Health Act about ninety-five percent of the oral health care services are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Oral health care is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction like other health care services and publically financed dental care programs provide the remaining five percent of oral health care services (2). Thus, majority of Canadians receive oral health via privately owned dental clinics. Privately owned dental care gives these services providers control over dental service charges, types of available treatment for the patients and number of follow-up appointment for treatments or routine care. Service users pay for the dental expenses from their own pockets or utilize insurance coverage (1).
Dental hygiene is a dynamic and challenging career that offers team work, personal growth, and extraordinary benefits, and it is the perfect career for me. As a health care professional, the dental hygienist is an important member of the dental team providing patient care. Good qualities for a dental hygienist are compassion and enjoying talking to people which are two qualities that fit my personality. I love the thought of knowing I made a positive impact in a person's health. Becoming a dental hygienist professionally requires you to obtain an associate degree in dental hygiene. They affect the average American by educating them about dental care. A dentist helps people with their dental health, which can greatly impact a person’s day-to-day life.
Dental disease, caries are the warning signals for other health complications and development of diabetes, obesity and coronary heart disease. Undernutrition condition associated with high intake of sugar may lead to risk of dental caries. Dental caries affect people physically as well pschycologically and influences how they grow, enjoy their life, look, speak, taste food and socialize themselves. During severe caries they experience pain, discomfort, eating and sleep disturbance, loss of school days and costs of treatment. There is a wealth of evidence that sugars are undoubtedly the most important factors in the development of dental caries. Another factor of dental caries occur because of demineralization of enamel and dentine by organic acids formed by bacteria in dental plague through the anaerobic metabolism of sugar obtained for the diet. Organic acid increased the solubility of hydroxyapatite (main inorganic constituent of tooth enamel and bone) in the dental hard tissues and demineralization occurs. Saliva is supersaturated with calcium and phosphorus at PH 7 promotes remineralization. If the oral PH varies high in for sufficient time then complete remineralization of enamal may occur.If the acid challenge is too high however demineralization dominates then enamel become more porous and a carious lesion will developed. Frequency
Maintaining oral health is extremely important not only for your mouth, but for your overall health (Wallace, Taylor, Wallace & Cockrell, 2010). Poor oral health impacts a person’s quality of life and general health, It causes pain which could result in poor nutrition (Griffin, Jones, Brunson, Griffin & Bailey, 2012). The residents at Menarock aged care have a private dentist from Alpha dental that visits the facility when prompted, although some resident’s families take them to their own family dental professional.
Al-Omiri, M. K., Al-Wahadni, A. M., & Saeed, K. N. (2006). Oral health attitudes, knowledge, and behavior among school children in North Jordan. Journal of dental education, 70(2), 179-187.