Participating in Kindergarten Oral Health Assessments is one way to be proactive with your child's dental health! For more information on Kindergarten Oral Health Assessments and how to participate, please follow tips provided at the Smile California webpage!
Welcome to Shasta County’s Local Oral Health Program!
PUT ON YOUR BEST SMILE! A healthy smile makes for happy children, and happy adults too! Start by brushing your teeth twice a day, as recommended by experts. Regular brushing and flossing can help you to have a nice smile and can benefit your overall health and wellbeing!
Looking for a dentist? Check out the links listed below!
Babies:
Caring for your baby’s smile begins the moment they are born. Healthy gums make way for healthy teeth. The Medi‑Cal Dental Program provides the following free or low-cost services for babies:
- Baby’s first dental visit
- Baby’s first dental exam
- Dental exams (every 6 months; every 3 months from birth to age 3)
- X-rays
- Teeth cleaning (every 6 months)
- Fluoride varnish (every 6 months)
- Fillings
- Tooth removal
- Emergency services
- Outpatient services
- Sedation (if medically necessary)
Kindergarten:
Children should visit a dentist when their first tooth comes in or when they turn one year old. California law says that kids must visit the dentist during their first school year. Learn more.
Babies need special care while they are growing, to help protect their smiles. Learn more about how to care for your baby’s teeth. Additional information can be found below.
Stop Cavities and Decay:
Brushing once in morning and once at night, combined with flossing once a day, can remove germs and stop decay. It can also lead to fresher breath and healthy gums. Everyone can keep their teeth healthy by visiting a dentist twice a year. Taking care of your teeth can prevent decay and save you money on future dental care.
Fluoride:
Fluoride plays a big part of maintaining a healthy smile. Fluoride provides a layer of protection that makes the teeth more resistant to bad acids that causes decay and cavities. Dentists say that children should brush with the recommended amount of fluoride toothpaste suggested for their age, get fluoride treatments, and talk to their dentist about the importance of fluoride. To learn more about how fluoride protects teeth. Additional information can be found below:
Sealants:
Sealants are protective coating that can help protect your molars against decay by 80%. Sealants can be applied to the first and second set of molars. Your first molars come in around age 6, and your second set comes in around age 12. More information on how sealants protect teeth.
“Testimonial Regarding Fluoride Varnish and Sealants for Children” given by Dr. Lila Wilson, local dentist located in Redding, California:
“Dental health is very important. Protecting the brightness and strength of your smile is a big part of the overall health picture for your children. Even if you follow your dentist’s instructions and brush twice a day, floss and go for bi-annual checkups, your teeth could use a little extra help. Dental sealants and fluoride can help cover the gaps in your oral care by helping prevent cavities. Dental sealants are plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, or molars. Dental sealants act as a cover for pitted, grooved teeth to prevent them from getting cavities in the first place, or to stop the spread of an existing one.
Now, Fluoride, is a naturally occurring mineral, is essential for proper tooth development and the prevention of tooth decay. The protective outer layer of teeth, called enamel, is often subject to attacks from acids. These can come directly from acidic foods and beverages, such as sodas and citrus fruits — or sometimes through a middleman: the decay-causing bacteria already in the mouth that create acid from sugar. In breaking down sugar, the bacteria produce acids that can eat through tooth enamel. This is how cavities are formed. When fluoride is present, it becomes part of the crystalline structure of tooth enamel, hardening it and making it more resistant to acid attack. For all these facts is why Lila P Wilson DDS and staff recommend the use of sealants and fluoride to all our patients to prevent cavities.
Best regards,
Lila Wilson DDS”
Pregnancy:
Taking care of your oral health during pregnancy is important! Did you know that pregnancy can increase a mother's chance for tooth decay? To learn how pregnancy can impact your oral health, and to learn how to keep your smile healthy before your baby arrives. There are many ways to take care of your oral health during pregnancy, including preventative dental visits. Learn tips on how to take care of your teeth and gums during pregnancy! Additional information can be found below.
Other Resources and Information:
For additional information, please contact your Local Oral Health Program at:
- Email: lohp [at] shastacounty.gov (lohp[at]shastacounty[dot]gov)
- Phone: 530-245-6851 or 530-225-5937
Medi-Cal Covers Healthy Smiles for Members All Year Long
Many of us approach the new year with resolutions of implementing and maintaining healthy habits. As 2022 comes to an end, remind Medi-Cal members to make their dental health a priority in 2023 by encouraging them to schedule their family’s dental check-ups now for the entire new year. Members under 21 years old are covered for two check-ups per year, and sometimes more. Members 21 and older are covered for one check-up a year.
To assist members in your community with finding a Medi-Cal dental home, encourage them to use the “Find A Dentist” tool on SmileCalifornia.org or call the Telephone Service Center at 1-800-322-6384.