Did you know that American students miss 51 million hours of school every year because of oral health problems? “Cavities and other oral health problems can lead to progressive pain in the mouth,” according to Dr. Michelle Dalal, a pediatrician in Reliant’s Milford office. “The pain is very distracting to learning and can cause the children to fall behind their peers or miss school entirely. Losing critical instruction time is especially detrimental in early grades when children are building crucial reading skills. This is why it’s so important for them to see a dentist on a regular basis and avoid worsening issues.”

This is why the National Education Association’s Read Across America is celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. The association encourages parents and children to brush their teeth for two minutes, two times per day, and read for 20 minutes as a way of building good oral health and literacy habits.

The following resources can promote good oral health and literacy skills with your children:

• Oral Health Books for Kids
• Chew on This: Fun Tooth Facts for a Healthy Mouth