April 13, 2004

By: Alida Vargas
Website: http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com

Oral Healthcare – Governor Doyle Announces New Effort To Improve Oral Healthcare For Children

Governor Jim Doyle announced a new effort to improve child dental health by directing state Medicaid officials to provide reimbursement for pediatricians under Medicaid and Badgercare for a varnish treatment for children. Governor Doyle made the announcement at the 16th Street Community Health Center in Milwaukee.

For many Wisconsin families, especially those without dental insurance or with lower incomes, access to a dentist is a major problem, Governor Doyle said. In many areas of our state, there are not enough dental professionals to adequately meet the needs of our communities.

There are over 50 federally designated dental health professional shortage areas in Wisconsin. In each of these shortage areas, there are not enough dental professionals to adequately meet the needs of the community. Recent surveys in Wisconsin found that over 60 percent of third grade children and 48 percent of children enrolled in Head Start had already experienced cavities. The surveys also reveal that many children have urgent dental needs, especially minority children and those attending lower income schools.

Early childhood cavities, an aggressive form of tooth decay found in infants and toddlers, can begin as early as 12 months and may be well advanced by a child's third birthday - before most children even visit a dentist.

Tooth decay can be debilitating for children. It affects their energy level, ability to obtain and maintain nutrition, and their ability to concentrate in school. Treatment of early childhood cavities may be painful, require extensive restorative work, and may involve sedation or general anesthesia.

This effort to put fluoride varnish on our kids’ teeth just makes sense, Governor Doyle said. Pediatricians, like those here at 16th Street Community Health Center, see children daily and will easily be able to apply the fluoride varnishes and counsel parents on the importance of oral health.

Two weeks ago, the 16th Street Community Health Center pediatricians started providing oral examinations and fluoride varnishes to all their patients under five years old. One of the doctors at the center, Dr. Graciela Villadoniga, came up with this idea when she saw how poor dental health affected her patients.

Even though the fluoride varnish is a simple procedure, it makes an impact on the life of a child, Governor Doyle said. This is a great example of how one person can make a difference.

During a doctor’s visit, the oral health of a child will be checked and a fluoride varnish will be applied to infants’ and toddlers’ teeth. The application of fluoride varnish on a child's teeth can halt the progress of disease and even reverse the cavity process.

Fluoride varnishes are safe and effective in preventing tooth decay in both primary and permanent teeth. It has been used in Europe and Canada for more than 30 years and in the United States since 1991. It is applied two times per year or more if the child is at higher risk of developing cavities. Fluoride varnishes are ideally suited for application on the teeth of infants and toddlers in medical settings. The application requires no special equipment.

Fluoride varnish reduces the risk of cavities and tooth decay, decreases the need for restorative care including fillings and extractions, decreases missed school days or inattention at school due to tooth aches or dental visits, and decreases emergency room and doctor visits caused by pain and complications from tooth decay.

Wisconsin’s pediatricians, physicians, nurses, and public health personnel play an important role in helping our families maintain good oral health because they see children earlier in life - before oral disease begins, Governor Doyle said.

The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services offers training for medical providers through the Division of Health Care Financing and the Division of Public Health. Training includes conducting oral screenings, evaluating risks for periodontal disease and cavities, techniques for the application of fluoride varnish, and oral health resources for families.

Author Notes:

Alida Vargas contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com.  Everything you need to know to get a whiter, brighter smile!