The Importance of Dental Screening

The Importance of Dental Screening

Ottawa Public Health supports children’s oral health in many ways such as screening children at school,
Community Health Resource Centres and Public Health Dental Clinics. Dental screenings help identify oral
health problems such as a dental abscess, infection and large visible cavities. Cavities can affect a child’s daily life both at home and at school. In fact, kids miss over 2 million days of school every year because of oral health problems.

Cavities can affect your overall health by causing:

• Pain and infection
• Loss of sleep
• Poor concentration
• Problems speaking and learning
• Difficulty chewing
• Digestive problems
• Low self-esteem
• Bad breath

For more information about dental screenings and other dental health services call Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744, e-mail DentalHealth@ottawa.ca or visit www.ottawa.ca/dental.