Only every second child in the Hochsauerland district has dental care!

Only every second child in the Hochsauerland district has dental care!

According to current reports, the focus in Germany is on the dental health of children and young people. In the Hochsauerland district, only every second child has dental care. According to an analysis by AOK NordWest on the occasion of Dental Health Day, which is celebrated on September 25th, almost 58.9 percent of all AOK-insured children between the ages of 6 and 17 took part in free examinations. This corresponds to around 6,308 children and young people who have undergone early dental diagnosis. AOK service region manager Dirk Schneider emphasizes the immense importance of regular visits to the dentist for oral health, especially since children's teeth are susceptible to caries and tooth decay from the first tooth onwards.

In 2024, 1,963 children were registered for early dental diagnosis, a pleasing increase compared to 1,866 in 2023. Dental care should begin as soon as the first tooth emerges in order to avoid huge problems such as caries in baby teeth. Why is this important? Healthy baby teeth reduce the risk of dental and jaw misalignments in permanent teeth, which is why parents should pay attention to regular dental care for their children.

Healthy starts in the mouth

With the motto “Healthy begins in the mouth – the superpower of spit”, the upcoming Dental Health Day focuses on the importance of salivation for oral health. Statutory health insurance companies cover prophylaxis, and from the age of six onwards, six-monthly examinations are planned as part of individual prophylaxis. These are supplemented by fissure sealing of the permanent large molars, which is carried out in full until the age of 18.

When considering oral health, it is also clear that dental health is of great importance at every age. Caries is one of the most common diseases in children and adolescents. According to the Robert Koch Institute, preventative dental examinations, along with good oral hygiene, a healthy diet and the use of fluoride, are of great importance to ensure quality of life. The timely recognition and treatment of oral diseases contributes significantly to maintaining functionality and has a direct interaction with general health.

• Kariesfälle sind in den letzten Jahrzehnten in allen Altersgruppen zurückgegangen.
• Bei Erwachsenen zwischen 35 und 44 Jahren sank die Kariesrate um 50% im Vergleich zu 1989.
• Besonders Kinder profitieren von präventiven Maßnahmen – 78% der Zwölfjährigen weisen keine Karies auf.

The German oral health study shows that prevention in dentistry is extremely effective, which means that dental health can be significantly improved by taking part in appropriate offers. Despite these positive trends, periodontitis remains a nuisance: around 14 million people in Germany have severe periodontal disease. It is therefore important that not only children but also adults have regular dental check-ups.

It is to be hoped that parents and children will together recognize the importance of balanced dental care and take the necessary steps to ensure oral health from early childhood. Ultimately, a big part of health lies in children's small teeth.