Did you know that dental health has an entire month dedicated to spreading its importance?

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and the Jay Harris Orthodontics team hopes that parents are teaching their children exactly how important the health of their teeth is. Although we specialize in orthodontics, good dental hygiene has a tremendous impact on your smile. It helps to understand how to take care of your teeth from a young age so that your teeth are healthy enough for orthodontic treatment.

Here are some fun dental health facts for you to share with your family!

  1. Your enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but it can break or chip easily. Chewing on hard substances such as ice or hard candy can leave your teeth vulnerable to a dental emergency and damage enamel.
  2. Sports-related injuries account for approximately 5 million missing teeth per year? Jay Harris Orthodontics strongly recommends using a mouth guard to prevent those issues. Mouth Guards help protect your teeth so make sure the athletes in your life wear one!
  3. Roughly 78% of Americans have had at least one cavity by age 17! (source: CDC) Jay Harris Orthodontics wants to help reduce that number by reminding everyone to brush and floss regularly and also have regular dental exams.
  4. You should brush your teeth 2-3 minutes twice a day. Try using a timer to make it a bit more fun!
  5. In the past 20 years, Flouride in the tap water has helped to cut tooth decay in school-aged kids by half! (source: ADA) Jay Harris Orthodontics is glad to have the liquid help but that alone won’t keep teeth and gums healthy. Brushing, flossing, and regular check ups will all help to keep your mouth happy and healthy!

 

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