17 Oral Health objectives - Assignment Example

Oral Health Objective First Middle initial and of Prof. First and of lecturer November 5, The Oral Health objective I have selected for this assignment is:Objective 1: Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who have dental caries experience in their primary or permanent teeth.Why is it important?According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2000), “dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood, five times more common than asthma” (p. 1). A healthy set of teeth helps the child to chew and eat properly, speak clearly and it also helps guide the permanent teeth into place (Delta Dental, n.d.).

When children develop dental caries, it disrupts the normal functioning of the teeth and affects the child’s nutrition, speech and dental structure, which in turn can have a negative impact on his/her adult life. Therefore, it is important to reduce dental caries in children and adolescents because it affects their overall health.How Can We Meet the 2020 Target for This Objective?1. One of the 2020 target for this objective is to reduce the proportion of young children, aged 3 to 5 years, with dental caries experience in their primary teeth from 33% to 30% (Healthy People, 2011).

This can be achieved by educating parents about dental hygiene and healthy food choices for their family, especially children. Regular screenings through dental checkups should also be part of the child’s annual health check.2. Another 2020 target for this objective is to reduce the proportion of adolescents, aged 13 to 15 years, with dental caries experience in their permanent teeth from 53.7% to 48.3% (Healthy People, 2011). This can be achieved by educating them about dental hygiene and healthy food choices.

Xylitol based chewing gums and food items should be made available in the market and schools to benefit from its caries preventive properties. Also, regular school based screenings should be conducted to identify high risk groups and target preventive services for them. ReferencesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics. (2000). Why is oral health important? Oral Health Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/oralhealth/pact/whyImportant.cfmDelta Dental. (n.d). Baby teeth are important. Washington Dental Service Foundation.

Retrieved from http://www.kidsoralhealth.org/Healthy People. (2011). Oral health. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/default.aspx