CIGNA Encourages Consumers to "Treat" Their Children's Oral Health During National Dental Hygiene Month

PHILADELPHIA -- There's one creepy costume that might be hard to find in stores this Halloween and one that is more familiar to many children than some of the more common ghoulish selections - a decaying tooth. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, tooth decay, often referred to as cavities, affects one-fourth of U.S. children ages two to five. And if that isn't scary enough, cavities are the single most common chronic childhood disease. In fact, they are five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.1

"During the Halloween season, children tend to eat more candy than usual, which sticks to teeth and is hard to clean off," said Dr. Tom Floyd, DMD, a member of CIGNA Dental Clinical Advisory Panel. "It will be a challenge for parents to avoid letting their little ones indulge in the treats these next few weeks, however parents can use this as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of practicing good oral health. Parents should let their kids see them brushing and flossing regularly and make it a fun practice to do together. It's also important to praise children for good oral hygiene habits."

Dr. Floyd also suggests some alternative "treats" that could be given out this Halloween in place of candy, including stickers, crayons, whistles, toothbrushes, sugar-free gum or hot chocolate.

In an effort to encourage families to practice good oral hygiene and prevent cavities from forming, CIGNA Dental has created a Cavity Risk Assessment Tool designed to help identify factors that might increase risk for cavities. Results for the assessment, which is appropriate for all ages, can be printed and taken to the dentist on a future visit.

"It's important for parents to instill good dental hygiene behaviors in their children at an early age," said Dr. Floyd. "Children should see a dentist by their first birthday, or earlier if the first tooth appears, and return every six months for routine checkups. This will get children used to going to the dentist on a regular basis and could essentially minimize any fears as they grow older."

Not only is October a time for tricks and treats, but it's also National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM). This month-long observance of the importance of proper oral hygiene is sponsored by the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA). With 95 million Americans fearing the dentist2, practicing good oral hygiene can make those visits to the dentist's chair a little easier to face.

"A relationship of trust between a child and the dentist can be developed during the first visit," says Floyd. "A child's experience can be fun and non-threatening, particularly if the visit occurs prior to the child experiencing any dental problem."

For more information on practicing good oral care with your children, visit CIGNA's website.

About CIGNA Dental

CIGNA Dental meets the dental coverage needs of approximately 10.9 million members, and the employer needs of more than one-third of all Fortune 100 companies. CIGNA Dental members access care from one of the largest dental HMO and dental PPO networks in the U.S., with more than 102,280 DPPO-contracted access points (over 51,140 unique providers) and over 36,360 DHMO-contracted access points (over 9,840 unique providers). CIGNA was one of the first insurance companies to offer dental indemnity, introducing its first plan in 1964, and became the first national carrier to enter the Dental HMO market.

To facilitate the creation of innovative approaches to emerging issues related to developing technologies, medical/dental integration and evidence-based strategies, CIGNA Dental has organized an independent panel of well-known, clinical experts in dentistry. The CIGNA Dental Clinical Advisory Panel consists of leaders in the dental professions many of whom are published and have served in leadership roles within their specialty, or the American Dental Association. Several panel members have current academic appointments in major schools of dentistry, including the University of PA, Tufts, SUNY, and UCLA.

1 Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health in America, 2000

2 National Dental Information Center, (www.nationaldentalinformationcenter.org)