Smile San Bernardino County (Smile SBC) and First 5 San Bernardino are urging parents and caregivers to make their childâs oral health a priority as residents resume preventative care practices.
Tooth decay is the number one chronic disease among children, according to Christine Hoang, DDS, a dentist with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.
âIn fact, three out of four third graders are experiencing tooth decay in San Bernardino County,â Hoang said. âDeveloping good oral health habits at an early age by brushing, flossing, eating healthy and visiting the dentist regularly helps children get a great start on a lifetime of healthy, pain-free teeth and gums and confident smiles.â
Smile SBC and First 5 San Bernardino have teamed up to relay the message about the importance of early dental visits with their âLittle Teeth, Big Responsibilityâ campaign that launched in February.
âWe want to encourage parents to put their childrenâs oral health at the top of their lists,â said Karen Scott, executive director of First 5 San Bernardino. âIt is important to get children to the dentist when their first tooth appears or at their first birthday so they can become comfortable with the dentist and caregivers can learn how best to prevent cavities.â
Bonnie Flippin, program coordinator of the Smile SBC local oral health program, said that itâs easier than ever to schedule.
“It’s very convenient to find a dentist at our SmileSBC.org website. There you’ll find links to our own San Bernardino County dental offices in Ontario, San Bernardino and Hesperia as well as tools to search for other dentists near you. We also provide information about how to get help with enrollment or transportation,” Flippin said.
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