Question: What can new mothers living in poverty do about their dental health? - Mary in Lake Worth
Answer: An important segment of the population, indeed. Evidence suggests that most infants and young children acquire tooth decay -causing bacteria from their mothers.Improving the oral health of expectant and new mothers and providing oral health counseling to promote healthy behaviors may reduce the transmission of such bacteria from mothers to infants and young children, thereby delaying the onset of caries. Several communities in the United States have begun "Adopt-A-Mom" programs in which local dentists volunteer to adopt one mother in need after she has given birth, treating her dental issues for a two-year period.The program was developed for mothers who have no dental insurance coverage and thus, limited access to dental care. Local endodontists volunteer their time and services to provide root canal therapy for children younger than 18 who would otherwise have to have a permanent tooth extracted. For more information, call the Dental Division of the County Health Department at (561) 837-5557.