Back-To-School At Sunshine Smiles!

Here at Sunshine Smiles, we love being able to help your little one take the best care of his or her teeth! Not only does this mean with prevention-based visits, but also making sure your child understands basic dental terms as they grow. With back to school right around the corner, we want to stress the importance of oral health education.

Knowledge of Basic Dental Terms 

You might be surprised to find out that a recent survey by Delta Dental found that many adults lacked basic knowledge of dental terms, regardless of the fact that 40% of them suffered from periodontal disease. That means that just around one-third of these people who developed periodontal disease could not explain their symptoms, signs, or understanding of the disease until after they had seen a periodontist. 

That very same survey also found that two in five adults were not familiar with what sealants did or protected. Sadly, only 25% knew that caries and decay were interchangeable words, while only 36% of adults knew the term prophylaxis. However, on the bright side, 92% of adults knew what plaque was and a whopping 87% were familiar with the term gingivitis. 

Not knowing basic dental terms might not seem like a big problem, but it is. Lack of knowledge can be a barrier to getting treatment in a timely manny. The problem also lies in people not asking for more clarification, or being embarrassed by not knowing basic dental terms.

Learn Basic Dental Terms At Sunshine Smiles

It is especially crucial that your child goes to preventative-based visits when they are young. Here is where they will learn how to properly brush, floss, and clean their tongues. During your visits, we will teach your little one basic dental terms to help better understand oral health in the future. Visit us at Sunshine Smiles or contact us today to set up your little ones first or next consultation!