Dentistry IQ: Recession affects dental care for youth from low-income families

In a new article featured in Dentistry IQ titled "Recession affects dental care for youth from low-income families", Dr. Steve Adair discusses the results of a recent survey which demonstrate that the recession is having a significant impact on dental care for many kids across the country.

The article states:

The national online poll surveyed 210 parents of young children in households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. It revealed that one in five (20%) take their children to the dentist less than once a year, well below the American Dental Association’s recommendation of two annual check-ups. About 16% said their children are not insured, and more than 40% said their family receives government health assistance from programs, such as Medicaid and CHIP. Approximately 18% said they have trouble locating a dentist who will treat their children, a finding that reflects a national problem, Dr. Adair said.

“The numbers in the survey are not surprising given the overall challenge the nation faces with regard to dental care for low-income children,” [Dr. Adair] said. “The information reinforces what many of us suspected about the impact of the economy.

Adair goes on to say, "Through events such as health fairs and free dental screenings at schools and day care centers, Small Smiles helps spread the message about the need for establishing an oral health routine to their community,” he continued. “As a profession, we can do a better job educating parents and children of all socioeconomic levels about the importance of good oral health and their options for receiving the dental care that they need.”

To read the Dentistry IQ article, please click here.

To read more about the survey conducted, please click here.

Acid Reflux in Children Linked to Dental Health

Dentists such as those at Small Smiles dental centers and other caregivers who regularly treat children are aware that a variety of factors can impact a child's dental health. It is also important for parents to be familiar with health issues that could impact their children.

News today from the University of California says that children who have symptoms of chronic acid reflux are significantly more likely to have dental erosions than those without reflux symptoms, according to a new study.

The study, which is the first to examine the relationship between acid reflux and dental health in pediatric patients, was presented today, May 4, 2009, at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Baltimore, Md.

The research is also among the first to find a conclusive link between chronic acid reflux and dental erosions in any age group, as previous studies have produced inconsistent results, according to Melvin Heyman, MD, chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at UC San Francisco's Children’s Hospital and the study’s senior author.

“These findings demonstrate that we really need to start looking for dental erosions in pediatric patients with chronic acid reflux and integrate proper dental care into their treatment regimens,” Heyman said.


Small Smiles dental clinics recommend that parents talk to their child's dentist about a variety of health issues to help safeguard lifelong dental health.