Set Your Child Up for Academic Success with a Healthy Smile

Fall is right around the corner, and you know what that means — it’s almost time for your child to go back to school! Whether they’ll be heading back to school in person or they’ll be participating in virtual learning, you want to help them thrive. Between planning for healthy lunches and making sure they have all the right school supplies, make sure to set your little one up for academic success with a healthy smile! Not only is good oral health important for your little one’s confidence and overall wellbeing, but studies show that it can help improve school performance as well. Read on as your children’s dentist goes over how keeping your child’s precious smile healthy can help them succeed this school year!

What the Research Shows

There have been many recent studies and surveys conducted on the connection between children’s dental health, school performance, and psychosocial wellbeing. Overall, their findings were quite clear: “…dental problems were significantly associated with reductions in school performance and psychosocial well-being.” The research indicates that children with poor or fair oral health are about 80% more likely to have problems in school and are almost 60% more likely to miss more than 3 days of school. Plus, “dental problems were associated with shyness, unhappiness, feeling of worthlessness, and reduced friendliness.”

Why Does Oral Health Impact School Performance?

Initially, it may seem unlikely that oral health issues like cavities, gum disease, or damaged teeth can pose such a threat to school grades and performance. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that there are many ways that poor oral health can interfere with a child’s academic success, including:

• Trouble focusing: If your child dealing with nagging dental pain or is self-conscious about how their teeth look, they may have trouble paying attention in class or finishing their homework.
• Missed school and homework: Children with poor oral health are more likely to miss school because of emergency dental appointments, frequent dental restorations, and general tooth pain.
• Shyness in class: When a child is physically uncomfortable or nervous about how their smile looks, they’re less likely to ask questions in class or participate in activities.
• Lowered self-confidence: If your child doesn’t feel good about how their smile looks and feels, they may have trouble believing in themselves and their ability to do well in school.

Oral Health Tips for a Great School Year

Thankfully, keeping your little one’s oral health on track doesn’t have to be difficult! You can help set them up for academic success and a happy smile by:

• Scheduling your child’s six-month dental checkup with your local children’s dentist
• Ensuring your child is practicing great at-home dental habits
• Encouraging your child to floss and rinse with mouthwash regularly
• Limiting your child’s exposure to sugar and packing them healthy lunches
• Teaching them about the importance of great oral health

The wellbeing of your little one’s precious smile impacts more than just their teeth. Make sure they feel confident about the upcoming school year by helping them maintain great oral health.

About the Practice

Real Dental is proud to serve the families of Grand Prairie and the surrounding communities with friendly and personalized dental care. They offer a wide range of services for smiles of all ages, including young children and those with special needs! To ensure your little one gets the specialized, gentle care they deserve, Real Dental has partnered with a Board-Certified pediatric dentist with years of advanced training. To learn more, they can be contacted online or at (817) 406-7239.