Pregnancy and Childhood

Your children’s teeth, including baby teeth, play an important role in their overall health by helping them chew healthy foods and speak clearly.

Dental caries (cavities) is the most common chronic disease in children, despite being almost 100% preventable. Untreated cavities affect the child’s overall health and may lead to problems with eating, speaking, and learning. Every year, approximately 400 Vermont children who are Medicaid eligible and under age 6 are treated in the hospital under general anesthesia for preventable dental problems.

Children who have untreated cavities in their baby teeth are more likely to get cavities in their permanent teeth.

Children who are insured by Medicaid in Vermont can receive dental care through Dr. Dynasaur.

Three proven strategies to prevent cavities:

• Fluoride varnish
• Dental sealants
• Community water fluoridation

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) can be used to treat cavities without needles or drilling, so children may not need to be seen under general anesthesia. 

This program provides families enrolled in WIC with the opportunity to meet with a dental hygienist to receive oral health education, oral health services (e.g., risk assessments, fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride applications) and help finding a local dental office that accepts their insurance.

• Public health dental hygienists deliver community education by doing outreach and training to medical and dental providers and supporting community organizations.
• They also support prevention programs such as community water fluoridation, the 802 Smiles Network of School Dental Health Programs and access to care.

To learn more about Public Health Hygienists, check out this brief document that describes their work. Read the detailed report.

The 802 Smiles Network of School Dental Health Programs connects the different school dental health programs in Vermont under one umbrella to improve oral health for all Vermont children.

• When a school becomes a member of the 802 Smiles Network, they can select to provide different levels of services to their students, from dental health education and onsite treatments—to transportation and restorative services, such as fillings.
• The different tiers are laid out in this infographic.

We welcome and encourage new schools to join our network and the effort to promote dental health in Vermont youth. Email VTOralhealth@vermont.gov or call (802) 863-7330 for more information.

• American Dental Association: Mouth Healthy - Pregnancy and Teeth
• Oral Healthcare Research Center: Oral Healthcare During Pregnancy
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Healthy Children - Oral Health
• Partnership for Healthy Mouths Healthy Lives: Kids' Healthy Mouths
• Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center: Oral Health
• MedlinePlus: Child Dental Health
• Sesame Street in Communities: Oral Health