In third year, I was given the opportunity to go to White Rock to attend a clinic for fluoride varnish. This was probably my favourite rotation as I really do love spending time with children. According to a study by Li et al., early childhood caries are the most prevalent infectious diseases of childhood, and affect ~78% of the child population.(1) 41% of these cases are severe. With this knowledge, I understand how important it is to education families and parents of the important need to maintain their child’s oral hygiene. Fluoride is a helpful compound in preventing oral caries, and sometimes at the rotation, may be all that the child gets if they are not brushing properly.
- Li Y, Wulaerhan J, Liu Y, Abudureyimu A, Zhao J. Prevalence of severe early childhood caries and associated socioeconomic and behavioral factors in Xinjiang, China: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2017;17:144.