Presbyterian | Your Story | Centennial Care | Winter 2021

www.phs.org/centennialcare 3 Oral health is important for your child’s overall well-being Dental health is important for children at every age. Brushing alone is not enough to keep your child’s mouth clean and healthy. Other good oral hygiene practices, like flossing, help prevent problems from arising. The best way to keep your child’s teeth healthy is to take them for regular dental visits. Dental visits are an important part of your child’s growth and well-being. Parents can start taking their child to the dentist when the first tooth appears or when they are one year old. During your child’s dental visit, the dentist can check your child’s teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. The dentist will also check for problems like tooth decay and treat them before they lead to more serious risks. Damage to teeth can happen without any symptoms. Cavities and other oral problems can go unnoticed until serious damage has been done. Your child should see their dentist regularly to help prevent more serious problems and help your child set up good oral hygiene habits. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) advises parents to take their kids to the dentist twice a year, or as often as the dentist would like. Winter break is a good time to schedule dental appointments. This way your child does not miss school and other activities. If you have more than one child, try to schedule appointments for the whole family to save time. For more tips about dental visits and oral health, please visit the AAPD’s webpage at www.aapd.org . Are your kids up to date on their vaccines? Read through any writings about medical history, and you may be reminded of an important truth: Once upon a time in the U.S., diseases made a lot of children very sick. Those diseases aren’t as common as they used to be, thanks to vaccines. But most are still around — and possibly a risk. And that’s one of the best reasons to make sure your children get their recommended vaccinations on time. Safe immunity Immunizations help kids safely build immunity to the diseases that the vaccines help prevent. One example is measles, a very contagious illness that can cause serious complications. Measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. But since that time, new outbreaks have occurred among people who were not vaccinated. Other diseases vaccines help prevent include whooping cough, chickenpox, and meningitis. Protecting your child is important. But there’s another reason they need their vaccines: It helps protect other members of your family and your community as well. Back-to-school checkups are a good time to make sure your child’s vaccines are up to date. It is also important to check with your provider when your child needs their vaccines. During your well-child visit, your provider can go over a list of the vaccines that your child needs based on age and vaccine history. To see what’s recommended, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) schedule of children’s vaccinations at www.cdc.gov/ vaccines/schedules . Presbyterian Health Plan has made it easy for children to get pediatric vaccinations if they are unable to see their primary care provider. Children can now get pediatric vaccines at a local pharmacy. Age-appropriate flu vaccines are covered for children of all ages. As of Nov. 2, 2021, the CDC approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds. The CDC estimates that every 10 vaccinations in the 5 to 11 age group can prevent a COVID-19 case in the same age group. We encourage parents and guardians to schedule their children’s vaccinations through their primary care provider or via www.vaccineNM.org/kids . The guidelines for COVID-19 vaccines may change. Also, there are age restrictions for certain vaccines, and pharmacies may have their own policies in place. Please check with your local pharmacy before you go to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information. Additional source: American Academy of Pediatrics