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February
is
Children’s
Dental
Health
Month
DETROIT
- In
honor of
Children’s
Dental
Health
Month,
Authority
Health
in
partnership
with
Partners
in
Wellness
at the
McKenny
Center
will be
collaborating
with the
University
of
Detroit-Mercy
Dental
Mobile
Unit to
provide
low cost
dental
services
for 21
children
attending
the
Development
Center
Head
Start
program
at
McKenny
Center
as well
as and
nine
expectant
mothers
receiving
support
services
from the
Development
Center.
The
eight-chair
mobile
unit
will be
stationed
in the
parking
lot at
the
McKenny
Center –
19750
Burt Rd.
Detroit,
MI
48219,
for
three
days
(Feb
19-21,
10am-2pm).
Dental
and oral
care is
important
during
the
toddler
years
because
children
need
strong
teeth as
their
diet
changes
from
liquid
to solid
and
chewable
foods.
Baby
bottle
tooth
decay
occurs
when a
child’s
teeth
have
been
exposed
to sugar
for a
prolonged
period
like
putting
a child
to bed
with a
bottle
of milk,
formula
or
juice.
This
increases
the
chance
of
cavities
and
decreased
gum
health
and is
the
leading
cause of
tooth
decay in
the
front
teeth
and can
affect
their
chewing,
speech
development,
and
self-image.
"Good
dental
hygiene
has a
significant
impact
on the
overall
health
of your
child.
Many
people
don't
know
that the
American
Academy
of
Pediatrics
recommends
that all
children
should
have
their
first
dental
exam
within
six
months
of
getting
their
first
tooth!
This can
be done
by a
local
dentist
or your
pediatrician,”
says
Chaya
Pittman-Hunt
D.O,
Pediatrics
Director
with
Authority
Health.
“Prevention
is key,
so a
parent
should
consult
with
their
doctor
about
the tips
and
tricks
to keep
your
children's
teeth as
healthy
as
possible!
"
The
nurse
home
visitors
of the
Detroit
Nurse-Family
Partnership
presented
by
Authority
Health
offers
these
tips to
prevent
baby
bottle
tooth
decay to
their
clientele
of
first-time
mothers:
• Use a
clean,
damp
cloth to
wipe the
child’s
gums
after
each
feeding.
•
Infants
should
finish
feeding
prior to
their
bedtime.
•
When
teeth
come
into
about 6
years of
age,
only a
smear of
toothpaste
should
be used
on a
child-sized
toothbrush.
• Tooth
brushing
should
be
supervised
until
the
child
can be
counted
on to
spit out
and not
swallow
toothpaste.
•
Avoid
filling
the
baby’s
bottle
with
liquids
such as
sugar
water,
juice or
soft
drinks.
•
Children
should
be
encouraged
to drink
from a
cup by
their
first
birthday.
“It
is our
responsibility
as
parents
to
protect
our
babies
gum
health,
that
will
ultimately
lead to
healthy
teeth,”
says
Sharon
Burnett,
Director,
Nurse-Family
Partnership.
“The
nurses
at
Authority
Health,
Nurse-Family
Partnership
is
committed
to
teaching
our
mothers
the
importance
of good
dental
care for
themselves
as well
as their
babies”.
To
find out
more
about
the
Detroit
Nurse
Family
Partnership
program
presented
by
Authority
Health,
please
contact
Lee
Watson
at
313.871.3751
x 114.
For more
information
on this
and
other
health
related
topics,
please
go to
www.authorityhealth.org.
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