With the school year in full swing and the holidays just ahead, parents and kids are juggling busy schedules. Between classes, homework and extracurricular activities, who has time for an unexpected trip to the dentist? Pro tip: ProBioraKids® probiotics for the mouth can help!
“It can be difficult to schedule a last-minute dentist appointment, especially near the holidays,” says Sarah Poteet, DDS. As a dentist, owner of Dallas Functional Dentistry and a parent herself, Dr. Poteet has tips for helping kids build a strong oral and dental health routine.
“Reducing school days missed is a top reason to set good oral and dental hygiene habits in childhood. We have an epidemic of kids with cavities in the United States,” she says. “Left untreated, cavities can cause pain, tooth decay and gum infections.”
She isn’t just talking about teenagers, either.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 20% of children ages 2 to 5 have at least one cavity. That number soars to more than 52% by age 8.
Absences from school are often the result. According to the Healthy Schools Campaign, kids ages 5 to 17 miss nearly two million school days each year due to dental health issues. That includes 30% of kids ages 6 to 12.
That’s not all. “Research has found that poor oral health can affect kids’ overall health. Dr. Poteet says. “Besides their mouth, it can affect the development of their brain, heart, kidneys and lungs.”
Children’s speech patterns and socialization may suffer, too. Bad breath (aka halitosis) can cause self-conscious kids to talk less or to mumble. They may participate less in classroom activities and avoid socializing.
“That’s why establishing healthy oral hygiene habits during childhood is so important,” Dr. Poteet emphasizes. “Good habits formed in childhood can last a lifetime.”
She encourages parents to actively support their child’s oral and dental health.
“Take kids for regular dental checkups, and make sure they are brushing and flossing twice a day,” she says. “Many kids are not very adept at brushing, however, so monitor their brushing as much as possible. But daily brushing and flossing aren’t always enough.”
For a truly healthy mouth, Dr. Poteet said, it’s essential to promote good bacteria that is native to the mouth. Good bacteria help to crowd out bad bacteria – the kind that consumes sugar, creating lactic acid that corrodes teeth enamel. But how?
Solution: Oral-Care Probiotics for Kids
“As a parent and dentist, having my own child use ProBioraKids® probiotics for the mouth as part of their evening routine provides me peace of mind that their oral hygiene routine is complete,” Dr. Poteet explains.
ProBiora probiotics is a simple yet effective preventative measure that is dentist-recommended and backed by more than 30 years of clinical research. The original oral-care probiotic, ProBiora provides a patented blend of the good bacteria kids’ mouths need to stay healthy.
ProBioraKids® is specially formulated for children, with a delicious orange creamsicle flavor. It’s easy to use, too: at bedtime, simply dissolve or chew one or more tablets after brushing and flossing.
ProBioraKids® gets below the gumline where brushing and flossing can’t reach, and it is safe to use with braces and other orthodontics. Plus, it’s gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly, with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or colors.
Taken daily, ProBioraKids® can optimize children’s oral-care routine – and help parents, too! Visit ProBiora Health’s website to learn more about ProBioraKids®. Brush. Floss. ProBiora. ProBiora Health’s full line of oral-care probiotics can be purchased online at ProBiora Health and Amazon. Take 10% off your first order with promo code: WASHINGTON10
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