Essay Sample on School-Based Programs: Reducing Tooth Decay in Kids

Introduction

Tooth decay resulting from untreated cavities can lead to adverse effects on the people. More often than not, children under the age of 6 up to 9 may have untreated dental decay that can affect their ability to learn and eat (Griffin et al., 2016). In light of this, different school-based programs have been developed to help in the provision of sealants at a reduced cost, and more particularly to students from the low socio-economic background. Dental sealants are coatings that are adhered on the surface of molars to prevent tooth decay as they shield them from food and germs. The programs have been integral in increasing the number of students who receive dental sealants to prevent cavities. Evidence has revealed that children are not provided with sealants that have a higher likelihood of getting molar cavities compared to their peers with sealants (MullerBolla et al., 2016). Undoubtedly, school-based dental sealant programs have been instrumental in addressing the problem of tooth decay among children, and this has helped in enhancing their ability to eat, learn, and speak.

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The effort by school-based dental sealant programs in preventing tooth decay has been bolstered by Healthy People 2020, which seeks to improve the Americans' health that is anchored on its 10-year goals and objectives. Evidence from data available in Healthy People 2020 indicates that 16.9% of children between the age of 6 and 9 often have untreated dental decay that affects both their primary and permanent teeth (MullerBolla et al., 2016). School-based programs have been created to help in addressing the problem through their full implementation. Notably, some organizations have immersed them themselves in providing solution through the provision of grantees such as clinics, dental hygiene, and schools of dentistry among others to assist in preventing untreated cavities. Further, the relationship between health behavior and Healthy People 2020 is illuminated by the increased participation of different institutions in developing dental sealant programs to curb the problem of tooth decay (Crall & Donly, 2015). More significantly, some children in the United States have a low socio-economic status that impedes their access to dental health services, and the development of the programs has been critical in improving their oral health and, most importantly, prevention of tooth decay.

It should be noted that preventing tooth decay is instrumental in enhancing community health in the United States. A substantial percentage of American children are poverty-stricken, and this often places them at high risk of getting untreated cavities. Understandably, this health behavior is relevant to the community health and national health initiatives that seek to forestall the effects such as infection and other challenges relating to speaking, learning, and eating (Himida & Promise, 2017). The application of sealants to children from low-income families has been beneficial in improving the general community health that has often been reinforced by different initiatives spearheaded by the federal government. Moreover, some bodies, such as the Community Preventive Services Task Force have recommended different programs by relying on evidence depicting the effectiveness of sealants in preventing untreated cavities (Crall & Donly, 2015). Better still, national health campaigns have been enhanced to address the problem of tooth decay and how the application of dental sealants has helped in preventing tooth decay. Also, community preventive programs and policies have been promoted, and they have contributed to the development of pf school-based sealant programs (Chestnutt, 2014). Additionally, after the determination of the effectiveness of the program, the relevant bodies often conduct economic viability before pushing for implementation.

Research has demonstrated that there has been a high prevalence of untreated cavities in the United States, and more particularly, among adolescents with low socio-economic status (Griffin et al., 2016). National health data indicate that total caries prevalence stood at 45.8% with untreated cavities at 13% among children between the age of 2 and 19 (MullerBolla et al., 2016). Further, data has shown that prevalence often increases with age where there was an increase to 50.5% among children aged between 6 and 11 from 21.4% among children aged between 2 to 5 (Crall & Donly, 2015). This indicates that as age advances, children were at a higher risk of suffering from oral infections caused by dental cavities in the United States. Furthermore, there was an identifiable difference in the prevalence based on race where the total prevalence of dental cavities was highest among the Hispanic children at 57.1% compared to non-Hispanic Asians at 44.6% (Himida & Promise, 2017). Additionally, there was a notable difference between the prevalence of dental cavities between non-Hispanic black children (17.1%) and non-Hispanic white children at 11.7% (Himida & Promise, 2017). Equally important, decreased family income levels were depicted to be accompanied with high dental cavities prevalence. Data from CDC demonstrates that the prevalence of dental caries decreased from 18.6% for children hailing from families that live below the federal poverty index to 7% for children from families that have income surpassing the federal poverty index by more than three times (Chestnutt, 2014).

Contemporary studies have pointed out that school-based dental sealant programs have become significant in modern America as it helps in preventing tooth decay of children and adolescents. Many organizations have strived to promote oral health by initiating programs and developing policies that are geared towards eradication of dental cavities prevalence (MullerBolla et al., 2016). Sealants have proved to be beneficial not only to American children but also adults who are at high risk because of their poverty levels in society. More recently, many children in the United States have faced economic problems that have denied them the much-needed opportunity to seek private dental care, and this has made schools to develop sealant programs to prevent tooth decay among them (Himida & Promise, 2017). The programs have proved to be effective as sealants have been delivered to children who are at high risk for dental cavities. Notably, tooth decay often results in different health problems such as oral infections that can create an economic burden to the Americans. Further, tooth decay may lessen the children's ability to learn, eat, and speak effectively that can consequently result in low education, malnutrition, and reduced social interaction (Crall & Donly, 2015). Efforts to prevent tooth decay can pose financial difficulties to the community. Also, oral infections resulting in dental cavities can be costly to treat, especially to families living below the federal poverty level.

It should be noted that cavities can result in permanent damage to molars and consequently cause tooth decay. A combination of different risk factors can cause this health behavior. Key amongst them is tooth location, where the back teeth that are molars and premolars are always at a higher risk of developing cavities. Understandably, these back teeth often have grooves that make them collect food particles, thus increasing the chance of decaying. Additionally, certain foods and drinks such as ice cream, cake, honey, dry cereal, and soda, among others, can lead to the high likelihood of tooth decay, especially among children and adolescents (Crall & Donly, 2015). Moreover, another risk factor is premised on inadequate brushing that allows the quick formation of plaque, which precedes the beginning of the initial stages of tooth decay. Also, tooth decay has proved to be more prevalent among youth in the United States. The prevalence is also common among the adults where overtime wearing down of teeth, and the recession of gum can enhance teeth vulnerability to decay. Furthermore, reduced income levels may result in greater chances of tooth decay as they can hardly afford private dental care services (Himida & Promise, 2017). More importantly, inadequate fluoride, a mineral that prevents cavities, has proved to be a risk factor as its absence may increase the chances of tooth decay.

Notably, there is a need to control and prevent risk factors that contribute to the problem of tooth decay. The problem can be controlled through the development and implementation of school-based dental sealant programs that will assist children in reducing dental cavities (Himida & Promise, 2017). Sealants will be instrumental in sealing grooves that often collect food particles, and more importantly, protect tooth enamel from acid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have formulated policies that include the recommendation of sealants for American school-children to protect them from tooth decay (MullerBolla et al., 2016). The negative impacts of tooth decay, such as infections and reduced ability to learn and speak, can be prevented through the adoption of practices that have the potential to reduce the prevalence of dental cavities. Further, improving the socio-economic status of families living below the federal poverty level can help enhance their chances of visiting dentists regularly to provide professional teeth cleaning and identify tooth decay while still in initial stages. Contemporary recommendations on preventing tooth decay are anchored on the implementation of school-based dental sealant programs that will inevitably reduce mortalities related to infections resulting from dental cavities (Crall & Donly, 2015). Additionally, some national health campaigns have been initiated in combination with community programs to ensure that tooth decay and problems associated with it are curtailed.

Different organizations have taken center-stage in developing dental sealant programs that can be critical in preventing tooth decay among children in the United States. Some of the organizations that have played this vital role are CDC, Ohio Department of Health, and SEAL! Michigan program (Crall & Donly, 2015). These organizations have played an instrumental role in initiating programs and implementing them to ensure that the prevalence of dental cavities is substantially reduced and controlled. For instance, the Children's Dental Health Project, which is largely funded by the CDC, has conducted interviews on school-based dental sealant programs, and it has enhanced their effectiveness in the community in general.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tooth decay can result in negative outcomes not only to the children but to society in general because of increased cost burdens of treating the infections. The emergence of school-based dental sealant programs has created a platform that encourages the prevention of tooth decay cost-effectively. Most children in the United States belong to families with low income, which reduces their access to better dental services. The sealant programs within the school setting often utilize dental equipment that is portable, which consequently reduces the underlying cost. Moreover, different states often strive to create task forces that can help in the identification of the low-income population and determining the best programs that can be applied to prevent tooth decay and the problems associated with it. It is worth noting that continued implementation of school-based dental sealant programs can be beneficial to the children as they will not suffer from oral infections that reduce their ability to learn and speak.