George D. Lisby Elementary School at Hillsdale in Aberdeen welcomed representatives from the Harford County Health Department last week to celebrate the success of a new school-based dental sealant program.
The Feb. 25 event also brought together state health officials, oral health professionals and Harford County Council members, including Council President Richard Slutzky.
Also participating was a group of second- and third-grade students who received oral health screenings and have dental sealants applied to their teeth.
A dental sealant is a thin protective plastic coating that is painted to the chewing surface of the back teeth, because cavities most often occur in children's back teeth.
The new Harford County program began providing free dental sealants to second- and third-grade students in seven Title I schools in September 2014, according to HCPS officials. Title I schools have high percentages of students receiving free or reduced price meals.
Portable operatories were set up in the schools for about a weekto administer the sealants to the students' teeth.
Since the program started, 769 sealants have been applied for 229 students. The program also offers fluoride varnish treatments and has provided oral health education to nearly 600 children.
"The Harford County Health Department currently has two outreach programs that are funded by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Office of Oral Health," Harford County Health Officer Susan Kelly explained. "The first is the fluoride/screening program that we began last year. This [school] year we received the grant for the new sealant program that has enabled us to go into all the Title 1 elementary schools."
Fluoride treatments help strengthen tooth enamel, can reverse the effects of tooth decay and also can help children develop strong, healthy teeth for years to come, Kelly noted. Flouride is applied to tooth in gel or foam to make the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars.
Dental sealants are a plastic material painted onto the tooth enamelof chewing surfaces of the back teeth where decay occurs most often, the health officer continued. They are easy for dentists and hygienists to apply and when they bond directly to teeth and harden, they act as a barrier to prevent cavities.
Kelly also said parents and guardians also should understand the school dental health programs "are intended to supplement good home dental hygiene and regular dental office visits."
While tooth decay is 100 percent preventable, it remains the single-most common childhood disease nationwide, HCPS officials said.
Tooth decay can cause extreme pain, school absences, difficulty concentrating and poor appearance – problems that greatly affect a child's quality of life and ability to succeed.
Each February, National Children's Dental Health Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of children's oral health.
Many parents and caregivers are unaware of how important oral health is to overall health of their children, according to HCPS.
Developing good oral health habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.