Senate Concurrent Resolution 552

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR PROPER ORAL HEALTH CARE IN ELEMENTARY GRADES AND TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY ORAL HEALTH CARE TO A CHILD'S ABILITY TO LEARN.

WHEREAS, quality oral health care is one of the greatest unmet needs for children and tooth decay is the single most chronic childhood disease - it is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. More than 25% of children 2 to 5 years of age and 20% of all adolescents 12 to 19 years of age currently have untreated tooth decay. Over 50% of children ages 5 to 9 years of age have at least one cavity or filing; and

WHEREAS, students with preventable or untreated health and development problems may have trouble concentrating and learning, have frequent absences from school, or can even develop permanent disabilities that can affect their ability to learn and grow. Specifically, 51 million school hours per year are lost due to dental-related illnesses. Simply stated, poor oral health care significantly impacts a child's ability to learn, results in decreased performance in school, leads to reduced self-esteem, and ultimately lessens the potential for success in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, poor oral health care can contribute to other complicating health factors, such as diabetes, respiratory disease and low birth weight babies. For example, low-grade infection in the mouth (periodontal disease) has been linked to systemic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases (heart disease), respiratory ailments (pulmonary or lung disease), and poor pregnancy outcomes (babies born too small and too soon). Those with diabetes are also at an increased risk for periodontal infections; and

WHEREAS, children and adolescents of some racial and ethnic groups and those with lower incomes experience higher rates of untreated decay. For example, African-American and Hispanic children have about three times higher rates of untreated decay and missing teeth because of tooth decay, but are about one-third as likely to receive dental sealants. Forty percent of Mexican-American children aged 6 to 8 years have untreated decay, compared with 25% of non-Hispanic whites; and

WHEREAS, children from families with low incomes had nearly 12 times as many restricted activity days (missed school) because of dental problems as children from families with higher incomes; and

WHEREAS, efforts to disseminate information and improve awareness about proper oral care health in schools can be very effective in preventing oral diseases. For parents, information on early childhood caries (baby bottle tooth decay) can help prevent harm to their infant's teeth. Knowledge of proper brushing and flossing techniques, along with good nutritional habits, can help children towards a lifetime of sound oral health; and

WHEREAS, studies show that children who receive dental sealants as part of a school-based or school-linked program have 60% fewer newly decayed teeth compared with children who are not in such school programs; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is committed to helping states strengthen their oral health programs by promoting oral health education in communities, schools, and health care settings nationwide:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the State Board of Education and the State Board of Health, jointly, to recognize the critical link between early and optimal oral health care and education to improve the state of children's oral health through the following awareness programs and school-based efforts:

a. The development of "dental homes" whereby collaborative outreach/education efforts with dental providers and Head Start, Division of Medicaid, State Department of Health, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and community leaders in underserved communities would be established to provide children with early and optimal oral health care services.

b. Resources to support and educate parents in underserved communities on proper oral health care and to meet the Healthy People 2010 objective levels for decay prevention by encouraging the use of dental sealants and implementing the proper water fluoridation levels.

c. Partnerships among universities, government, and the private sector to foster and maintain valuable opportunities to promote oral health awareness and related programs in educational and community-based settings.

d. School-based oral health services to make preventative services (such as fluoride and dental sealants) accessible to all children, especially those with lower incomes, and to establish school dental health programs (particularly elementary schools) designed to train children in the skills and importance of personal dental care.

e. Encourage proper oral hygiene at early ages, such as incorporating oral health in school nurse education programs and training as well as providing time for children to brush and care for their teeth.

f. To require third grade oral health school surveys to establish a national baseline of quality oral health metrics and to set goals for improving and achieving the same.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to the State Board of Education and the State Board of Health and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.