National
Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
This and past issues of the Oral Health Alert are available at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/archives.html.
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Special Notice: February is National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Classroom ideas and resources appropriate for children ages 3-5 such as lesson plans, an interactive Web-based story, and coloring and activity sheets are available from the American Dental Association's Web site at http://www.ada.org/public/events/ncdhm/index.asp. A press release emphasizing the importance of preventive dental hygiene care to prevent tooth decay among children is available from the American Dental Hygiene Association's Web site at http://www.adha.org/media/releases/01232006_ncdhm.htm. The ADHA Web site also contains instructions on correct toothbrushing and oral health tips at http://www.adha.org/oralhealth.
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1. Children’s Dental Care: Periodicity of Checkups and Access to Care, 2003
This brief looks at whether dental checkup advice was ever offered by a health professional, the periodicity of receiving dental checkups, and affordability of dental care among children ages 2-17. Estimates in the brief are based on data from the child health supplement, preventive care, and access to care sections of the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2003. Health insurance coverage reported in the brief does not necessarily include coverage either in part of full.
Contact: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850. Telephone: (800) 358-9295; e-mail: info@ahrq.gov. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/papers/st113/stat113.pdf.
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2. Knowledge Path: Oral Health and Children and Adolescents
The 2006 edition of this electronic guide contains recent, high-quality resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and the quality of oral health for children and adolescents. The knowledge path includes information on (and links to) Web sites and electronic publications; journal articles; books, reports, and other print publications; databases; and discussion groups and electronic newsletters. It is intended for use by health professionals, policymakers, program administrators, and families who are interested in tracking timely information on this topic.
Contact: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, Georgetown University, Box 571272, Washington, DC 20057-1272. Telephone: (202) 784-9771; fax: (202) 784-9777; e-mail: info@mchoralhealth.org; Web site: http://www.mchoralhealth.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/knwpathoralhealth.html.
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3. Opening the Mouth: Continuing MCH Education in Oral Health
This Web-based training program provides non-oral health professionals an introduction to oral health and early childhood caries in infants and toddlers. The program discusses the prevalence of dental caries among all children, dental caries as a chronic disease, and unmet oral health care needs among children and their consequences. Other topics include an overview of oral health in America, tooth decay, and periodontal disease and its consequences. Topics are reviewed in developmental time periods (from conception to birth and early childhood). Additional information about treatment options, action steps, recommendations for states, other sources of program support, and a list of references. The Web site materials are presented in html and video formats.
Contact: Columbia University, School of Dental and Oral Surgery, 630 West 168th Street, PH-7E, New York, NY 10032. Telephone: (202) 305-4511; Web site: http://dental.columbia.edu. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/otm/index.html.
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4. Blood Lead Concentrations in Children and Method of Water Fluoridation in the United States, 1988-1994
This analysis tested possible associations between water fluoridation method and blood lead (PbB) concentrations in children ages 1-16 using a representative sample and addressing some of the limitations of earlier studies. The findings do not support concerns that silicofluorides in community water systems increase PbB concentrations in children.
Macek MD, Matte TD, Sinks T, Malvitz DM. 2006. Environmental Health Perspectives 114(1):130-134. Abstract available at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2005/8319/abstract.html.
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5. Fluoride Varnish Efficacy in Preventing Early Childhood Caries
This two-year randomized controlled trial determined the efficacy of different fluoride varnish application frequencies with parental/caregiver oral health counseling vs. counseling alone in preventing early childhood caries incidence in young, initially caries-free children. Caries incidence was higher for counseling only vs. counseling plus fluoride varnish. The findings support the use of fluoride varnish to prevent early childhood caries and reduce caries increment in young children.
Weintraub JA, Ramos-Gomez F, Jue B, Shain S, Hoover CI, Featherstone JDB, Gansky SA. 2006. Journal of Dental Research 85(2):172-176. Abstract available at http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/2/172.
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6.
Improved National Prevalence Estimates for 18 Selected Major Birth Defects--United
States,
1999-2001
This report describes estimates of
national prevalence and number of affected
births
in the United States
each year
during 1999-2001
for
18 selected
major birth defects using population-based
active birth defects surveillance data.
The estimated national prevalence was
highest for orofacial clefts (cleft
lip with or
without cleft
palate and
cleft palate only),
which affect
approximately 6,800 infants annually.
Canfield MA, Ramadhani TA, Yuskiv N, Davidoff MJ, Petrini JR, Hobbs CA, Kirby RS, Romitti PA, Collins JS, Devine O, Honein MA, Mai CT, Edmonds LD, Correa A. 2006. Improved national prevalence estimates for 18 selected major birth defects -- United States, 1999-2001. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 54(51&52):1301-1305. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5451a2.htm.
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7. Progressive Periodontal Disease and Risk of Very Preterm Delivery
This study explored the role of antepartum periodontal conditions, periodontal disease onset, and periodontal disease progression during pregnancy on preterm birth risk. The authors conclude that maternal periodontal disease, identified either early in pregnancy or progressing during pregnancy, is a risk factor for preterm and very preterm birth, respectively, independent of other risk factors.
Offenbacher S, Boggess KA, Murtha AP, Jared HL, Lieff S, McKaig RG, Mauriello SM, Moss KL, Beck JD. 2006. Obstetrics & Gynecology 107(1):29-36. Abstract available at http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/107/1/29.
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The Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start is administered by the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) at Georgetown University.
The Oral Health Alert is made possible by grant number IHIFMC06348 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This funding is part of an intra-agency agreement between the Head Start Bureau (HSB) and MCHB. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of MCHB/HRSA, HSB, or DHHS.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, or if you are experiencing technical difficulties, please contact the administrator via e-mail at OHAlertadmin@mchoralhealth.org.
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Managing Editor: Katrina Holt, M.P.H., M.S., R.D.
Writer/Administrator: Jolene Bertness, M.Ed.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A
Oral Health Alert
National Maternal and Child
Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University
Box 571272
Washington, DC 20057-1272
Phone: (202) 784-9771
Fax: (202) 784-9777
E-mail: OHAlertadmin@mchoralhealth.org