Oral heath is a key part of a child’s overall health and well-being. Students with dental pain or dental disease may have problems eating, issues with speech development, and low self-esteem. Dental issues and dental pain can also result in trouble concentrating and learning during class time. It’s also common for students to miss school days due to dental issues, which negatively impact their learning and their ability to stay on track with their peers. In Canada, it is estimated that 2.3 million school days are lost each year due to dental visits or dental sick days.
When oral health concerns start to impact overall health, or go untreated for longer lengths of time, more serious health problems can begin – leading to a further decline in school performance and attendance.