Education

At UPD Dental Associates (University Pediatric Dentistry), we have an uncompromising promise to deliver dental education and awareness to the Western New York community. Below are some tips, articles and links to improve your family’s oral health. Also, make sure to come see us at local schools and events near you!

Education

Dental Pain and School Absenteeism

Published on Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Dental Pain and School Absenteeism

Tooth pain can have profound implications for your child’s overall success in life.

That’s a pretty bold statement but scientific research backs it up. Children with untreated tooth decay often suffer from difficulty eating, sleeping, socializing and even talking; and that doesn’t factor in the chronic school absenteeism that often accompanies poor oral health.

A report by the Pew Charitable Trust synthesized several studies into an alarming picture of the impact of tooth pain on America’s kids. In one year in California, more than half a million children missed at least one day of school because of tooth pain. Meanwhile, researchers in Los Angeles found that children who suffer from dental pain were four times more likely than their counterparts to have a grade point average below the median. Another study out of North Carolina found children with poor oral health were nearly three times as likely as their peers to miss school because of dental pain. The message is clear. Tooth pain and untreated decay can severely impede a child’s ability to succeed in school.

There’s no doubt that kids today face increasing academic challenges and growing competition. Missing days or sometimes weeks of learning can put a youngster in an unrecoverable academic tailspin. But the solution is simple. Put your kids on a path to dental success and you’re giving them a greater chance at overall success and really, isn’t that all any of us want for our children?
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