Dentist says children need dental exams earlier

February is National Childrens' Dental Health Month. Research shows West Virginia ranks dead last in the nation for dental health.

The American Dental Association Give Kids a Smile program brings free care and education to families in north-central W.Va.

More than one-third of children never make it to the dentist before they begin elementary school, and 51 million hours of school time are lost each year because of dental related illnesses.

Research also shows up to 30-percent of the population is genetically susceptible to developing severe periodontal disease.

WVU Dentist Elliot Schulman says the two age groups with the most tooth decay are adolescents and young children under the age of five.

The American Dental Association has lowered the age for when children should see the dentist for the first time to one year.

"Parents were told and that they should see their dentist for the first time at about age three," Dr. Shulman said. "But as as the years have gone by we have discovered that was really too late to have any intervention."

Dentists say daily teeth brushing should begin when the first tooth appears. The ADA says that signs of periodontal disease in children include gum recession, puffiness, bleeding and bad breath.

Katie Harr covered this story as a part of WV Public Broadcasting's partnership with the West Virginia University P.I. Reed School of Journalism.

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• oral health
• dentist
• first dental visit
• WVU