As a parent, you have a big role to play in keeping your child’s teeth healthy and clean. You can help prevent cavities. Prevention starts at home, with good eating habits and daily cleaning of the teeth.
The Canadian Dental Association reminds us that a healthy mouth is also an important part of a healthy body. Poor oral health can affect a person’s quality of life. Oral pain, missing teeth or oral infections can influence the way a person speaks, eats and socializes. These oral health problems can reduce a person’s quality of life by affecting their physical, mental and social well-being. Research has shown there is an association between oral disease and other health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, respiratory illness in older adults, as well as pre-term and low-birth-weight babies. Although researchers are just beginning to understand this relationship, evidence shows that oral disease can aggravate other health problems and that keeping a healthy mouth is an important part of leading a healthy life.
There are lots of dental services available in Lanark County, including the many fine dentists and dental clinics in your community. If you can’t afford to send your child to the dentist, you have options and they are outlined on the LLG Public Health Unit website!
Healthy Smiles is a no-cost preventative program for eligible Ontario children, aged 17 and under, to visit a licensed dental provider for cleaning, fillings, x-rays, scaling and more.
CINOT is a provincially and municipally funded program for children in need of restorative and preventative dental services. This program ensures that all Ontario children in urgent need of dental care will receive immediate treatment. The Health Unit Oral Health Team provides oral screening in area schools on an annual basis and at various locations throughout the year in the tri-county area. If you would like to arrange an oral screening for your child, please contact the Health Unit. If your child is eligible for coverage under the CINOT program, the Health Unit will provide you with a dental claim form for you to take to the dentist of your choice. The dentist sends the claim to the Health Unit for payment.
A preventative Fluoride Varnish program is also being used in select schools in Lanark.
Clinics are available for your children in Lanark County