Tooth Decay is No Big Deal… Wrong
Contributed by the Children’s Dental Health Project
It is Children’s Dental Health Month, and it might surprise you to know that a tooth decay is not just a minor problem that goes away on its own. Decay is a form of disease, and it will worsen unless it is treated by a dental professional. In fact, people die each year — even right here in America — from infections that began in their teeth or gums. Huffington Post columnist Wendell Potter wrote a recent column reporting that more than 61,000 hospitalizations over a nine-year period were mainly due to dental conditions. Nearly 90% of those patients entered hospitals through the emergency room. And 66 of them died.
If someone in your family has a toothache, don’t delay. Schedule a dental visit right away. Better yet, do all you can to prevent cavities in the first place by brushing your teeth regularly, eating right and drinking tap water that is fluoridated.
