How Oral Health Affects Your Child’s School Performance
Kids who don’t visit the dentist in Glendale CA for timely treatment do poorly in school
Dental caries, or tooth decay, is a very widespread problem among children in this country. Without proper dental intervention from an experienced dentist in Glendale CA, troubles can start early and continue for an entire lifetime, with some teeth potentially falling prey to such extensive decay that they are actually lost. About 40 percent of children have cavities by the time they enter kindergarten, and in disadvantaged areas this figure is typically much higher. Researchers from USC’s Ostrow School of Dentistry have found that 73 percent of disadvantaged kids in Los Angeles have dental caries, and this condition is having a measurable negative impact on their school performance.
Kids with Dental Pain Get Bad Grades
The study surveyed nearly 1500 kids from the Los Angeles Unified School District and found a specific link between poor oral health and poor grades: the children who reported experiencing recent tooth pain were four times more likely to have a GPA that fell below the median GPA of 2.8. This makes sense because dental pain can be distracting during class and potentially disruptive to sleep at home, both of which would interfere with a student’s ability to learn.
Oral Health Problems a Significant Factor in School Absences
The study also found a link between poor oral health and increased absenteeism. In elementary school, kids miss an average of 6 days per year, with 2.1 of those days being attributed to dental issues. In high school, kids miss an average of 2.6 days, with 2.3 days being due to dental issues. Kids who did not have easy access to the dentist in Glendale CA—whether due to financial issues, lack of transportation, or some other barrier—were more likely to end up missing school as a result of a dental problem.
Kids’ Dental Issues Affect Parents’ Jobs
Naturally no parent wants to see their child suffer for any reason, including dental problems. However, some parents may not have the time or funds needed to get regular dental checkups for their kids. What these parents should know is that dental problems do not go away on their own and postponing care only makes the situation worse. Parents who aren’t able to take off time from work to take their kids to the dentist may end up missing work anyway to care for a child who has had to stay home from school due to dental pain. In the group analyzed in the study, parents who had kids with dental problems missed an average of 2.5 days of work per year to care for them.
Make Sure Your Child Gets Regular Dental Care
If you want your child to do well in school, it will help to remove all barriers that may stand in their way, including dental pain. There are many skilled dentists in Glendale CA such as California Dental Group that are able to offer highly affordable cleanings and financing options to parents of kids with dental problems. Call us today to learn more.
