BlackLoveAndMarriage.com Partners With The Nat’l. Children’s Oral Health Foundation & America’s Toothfairy To Get The Word Out About The #1 Chronic Childhood Disease In The U.S.

By Team BLAM

When we were asked to assist the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) with getting the word out about the # 1 chronic childhood disease in the United States we were honored and anxious to do our part. When I learned what that disease was I was stunned. If you’d have asked me what the #1 childhood chronic disease was I would’ve have said asthma or obesity or maybe even juvenile diabetes, but TOOTH DECAY!? No, the words tooth decay would have never come out of my mouth. The more I learned–the more I was amazed. Severe tooth decay also known as pediatric dental disease truly is a silent epidemic. Look closely at some of these astonishing facts:

A Silent Epidemic

Pediatric dental disease is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever

44% of American children will suffer from pediatric dental disease before they reach kindergarten

73% of preschoolers and 48% of primary school age children who have experienced cavities currently have unfilled cavities

While the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD) recommends that every child establish a dental home by their first birthday, only 1.5% of 1-year-olds have had a dental office visit compared with 89% who have had an office-based physician visit

4.5 million children develop pediatric dental disease every year

Left untreated, pediatric dental disease can lead to malnourishment, bacterial infections, required emergency surgery, and even death

Dental disease has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pneumonia, poor pregnancy outcomes, and dementia

A National Crisis

More than 51 million school hours and 164 million work hours are lost each year due to dental disease, leading to increased educational disparities and decreased productivity.

Approximately 43% of Americans lack dental insurance, including more than 20 million children; this is almost 3 times the population lacking medical coverage.

For every $1 spent on oral health preventive measures, American taxpayers are saved as much as $50 in restorative and emergency procedures for the under- and uninsured.

The good news is that pediatric dental disease is not only treatable and curable, it is completely preventable through basic education and proper oral hygiene practices.

The National Children’s Oral Health Foundation is dedicated to eliminating children’s preventable pain and suffering from severe tooth decay. By supporting a national Affiliate network of nonprofit healthcare partners and facilitating signature volunteer programs, NCOHF is working aggressively to ensure that all children have the building blocks for happy, healthy and productive futures.

DO YOUR PART and TRICK OR TREAT FOR AMERICA’S TOOTHFAIRY.

You can help – by letting people know about the NCOHF’s “Trick or Treat for America’s Tooth Fairy” fundraising drive. This Halloween – set an example for your children in teaching them to care for other children. Joining the drive is so easy even your kids can take part!

Visit: https://americastoothfairy. myetap.org/fundraiser/ trickortreat/ From this site, you can register for the fundraiser, start or join a team, set a goal, and begin raising money in support of our child-saving, smile-saving cause! You can also donate to the fundraisers or search for other participants and donate toward their goals.

We, at BLAM, are proud to do our part starting with making sure our own children brush and floss twice a day! 😉 We hope you’ll join us!