February Is National Children’s Dental Health Month

History

Each year there is a new slogan for dental health month and parents and children can download coloring and activity sheets related to dental health month. The ADA produces program planning kits for state and local dental alliances to assist them in their local promotions. The planning kits may include workbooks, resources, handouts, posters and publicity information. The posters are readily available for classrooms to display during the month.

National Children’s Dental Health Month is promoted to increase the awareness of good dental health. People get so busy with their lives that they sometimes forget about their teeth. The majority of people do not make regular dental visits. Ninety percent of adults usually quit their regular dental checkups by the time they are 25. Dentists feel that by raising awareness during dental health month, the on-going problem of gum disease could be eliminated. Dental health month also makes aware the age old problem of sugar and cavities. If children learn to equate good nutrition with good teeth, than many cavity issues can be cleared up as well. Dental health month gives everyone a jump start into getting control over their dental health issues. The media provides all kinds of resources and TV programs are geared towards good dental hygiene during dental health month.