Introduction to Action Plan
The proposed community action plan focuses on the problem of oral health in Colorado. Specifically, the oral care of children in the community will be addressed. The choice of the health issue is explained by the fact that tooth decay in children is a significant health concern affecting numerous regions throughout the country. The problem is complicated by disparities affecting the issue, as children from low-income families have a higher risk of suffering from the problem and have lower chances of acquiring the necessary care. For this reason, this report’s primary goal is to address tooth decay in children in the community of Colorado, offer intervention programs, community incentives, and awareness programs, and outline demographics and partners.
Symptoms and Implications
Tooth decay is a severe health issue that affects young children and has various symptoms and consequences. First, oral health plays a central role in the person’s overall health (Kabiri et al., 2022). Unfortunately, over the past two decades, the prevalence of dental caries has increased dramatically among children (Kabiri et al., 2022).
Tooth decay causes numerous undesired effects, such as pain, eating problems, and disorders (Kabiri et al., 2022). Moreover, it might be associated with the financial burden for the family and community (Kabiri et al., 2022). Statistics show that around 60-90% of young people suffer from oral health issues, meaning the problem remains prevalent (Kabiri et al., 2022). It evidences the scope of the challenge and the need for action.
Demographic Disparities
In Colorado, tooth decay remains a critical issue, and the situation is complicated. According to the official statistics, 31.3% of kindergarten and 47.3% of older children suffer from it (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 2018). The demographics of the problem outline specific disparities, as Hispanic children have a higher risk of suffering from the condition (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 2018). Untreated decay is also more prevalent among Latina populations (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 2018). This means that the need for intervention and improvement in the situation is evident.
Income Disparities
Another critical issue worth mentioning in terms of oral health is its correlation with income level. Children from low-income families have higher chances of suffering from tooth decay (Vasireddy et al., 2021). It is associated with the lack of health services available to them, the absence of insurance, and limited funds that can be used to treat the condition (Vasireddy et al., 2021). As a result, untreated tooth decay leads to chronic pain, missed school, and decreased academic performance, resulting in emergency room visits and hospitalizations (Vasireddy et al., 2021). The quality of life was reduced significantly, which is one of the severe symptoms of the problem. For this reason, there is a critical need for effective intervention.
Causes of Tooth Decay
The tooth decay in children can be associated with numerous factors. First, the risk of acquiring the condition is linked to the bacteria living in the mouth and causing caries, which is one of the first stages of tooth decay’s development (Mark, 2020). Second, the disease can be caused by inappropriate dietary patterns. Sugary drinks and snacks might lead to the deterioration of oral health and the establishment of conditions beneficial for the emergence and growth of bacteria (Mark, 2020). Moreover, poor oral hygiene is one of the major factors preconditioning caries among children and, as a result, causing tooth decay (Mark, 2020). These causes are critical when discussing the question regarding the chosen community and developing the measures to address it.
Proposed Interventions
Thus, as stated previously, the problem is prevalent and affects numerous communities in the state. For this reason, numerous attempts were made to create an effective intervention for it. For instance, New York City introduced a specific program aimed at detecting tooth decay among children at early stages and addressing it (The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), 2020). Tablet-based technology to reach at-risk families was introduced (ODPHP, 2020). It implied a special application, MySmileBuddy, which identified targeting behaviors and provided families with a plan of action to avoid further complications (ODPHP, 2020).
Furthermore, it used the combined approach to work with parents and teachers to manage the problem more effectively. As a result, a particular improvement in the situation was achieved. By using positive examples and creating the basis for meaningful collaboration between various parties, it is possible to make the basis for the successful resolution of the problem and avoid critical complications of tooth decay.
Action Plan
Engaging Stakeholders
Resolving the problem of tooth decay in the Colorado community requires a specific action plan consisting of several steps. First, it is vital to find stakeholders and partners who would participate in the incentive. The Tri-County Health Department Aurora, Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Aurora Area Community Foundation, and Aurora Public Schools can be contacted. These participants are essential for the success of the project.
First, they possess the information and resources necessary to support the program, select the most vulnerable populations, and guarantee they are motivated. At the same time, the results will be beneficial for the partners as numerous economic benefits will be generated. For this reason, establishing collaboration with these parties is the first step to addressing the public health issue.
Planning Implementation
Second, the integration approach must be created. It implies increasing the awareness of tooth decay among children along with creating more opportunities for children to ask for assistance and improve their current condition. It can be performed by educating children about the importance of oral health and dietary habits (Tenelanda-López et al., 2020). The application, following the example of New York, can be created and distributed for free to help children follow all recommendations and guarantee they are healthy. Moreover, local educational establishments can distribute leaflets and posters about tooth decay, how it can be addressed, and what local health facilities might help to treat a child.
Second, for children from low-income families, a fund to support their treatment can be established. As a result, this combined approach will have a positive impact on oral health and tooth decay in Colorado and create the basis for cultivating a healthier community with a higher quality of life.
Educating on Prevention
Furthermore, concerning tooth decay among children, prevention is an effective strategy to address the problem and reduce incidence. Following the recent recommendations, the most effective way of preventing tooth decay is regularly brushing teeth and strengthening them with fluoride (“Preventing tooth decay in children and teenagers,” 2020).
Additionally, it is critical to avoid drinking sugary drinks or eating foods that might cause caries and additional problems with oral health (“Preventing tooth decay in children and teenagers,” 2020). For this reason, the prevention strategy should raise parents’ awareness levels about the importance of oral hygiene and a healthy diet. Adults should be explained how to teach children to brush their teeth and control their behaviors to avoid tooth decay.
Furthermore, effective prevention implies eliminating barriers that prevent children from acquiring the necessary care. For this reason, community members’ needs evaluation might be considered an effective prevention measure aimed at determining the current status of oral health and offering measures to improve it (Kabiri et al., 2022). The data collected through evaluation will help create a list of issues impacting the community’s health and eliminate them using available resources (Anwar et al., 2022).
Parental Training
Finally, training for parents might be an effective method to attain significant improvement and ensure the first sights of tooth decay are noted and the necessary care is provided (Anwar et al., 2022). Low-income families should be supported using the sources from the local funds created for cases of this sort. As a result, employing the given prevention programs, it is possible to expect a significant improvement in Colorado’s current state of the issue. The reduction in the number of new cases will indicate the success of the implemented program.
Timeline
The timeline of the program will depend on the peculiarities of the community and the ability to find local resources. Thus, it is expected that the campaign will last for at least one year to check the results and ensure whether it has a positive impact on the community. The first two months shall be devoted to finding partners, establishing the basis for the collaboration, and creating the fund that can be used to sponsor all the steps outlined above.
A special application for monitoring oral health should also be developed as part of the program. Thus, during the next 8 months, the measures should be implemented. Parent education and collaboration with local authorities will imply a gradual change in the view on the problem and the cultivation of the desired awareness levels.
Finally, the results should have been evaluated in the last two months. The reduction in the number of children with tooth decay and improvement in their quality of life will indicate the program’s success and the need for its continuation to promote even better outcomes.
References
Anwar, D. S., Mohd Yusof, M. Y. P., Ahmad, M. S., & Md Sabri, B. A. (2022). Family influences on the dental caries status of children with special health care needs: A systematic review. Children, 9(12), 1855. Web.
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. (2018). Tooth be told… Colorado’s basic screening survey children’s oral health screening: 2016-17. Web.
Kabiri, B., Heidarnia, A., Alavijeh, M. M., & Motlagh, M. E. (2022). Primary tooth decay prevention program in children: Application of intervention mapping approach. BioMed Research International. Web.
Mark, A. (2020). Helping your child fight tooth decay. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 151(2), 154. Web.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). (2020). Leveraging technology to reach at-risk families: Preventing and managing early childhood tooth decay in New York City. health.gov. Web.
Preventing tooth decay in children and teenagers. (2020). NCBI. Web.
Tenelanda-López, D., Valdivia-Moral, P., & Castro-Sánchez, M. (2020). Eating habits and their relationship to oral health. Nutrients, 12(9), 2619. Web.
Vasireddy, D., Sathiyakumar, T., Mondal, S., & Sur, S. (2021). Socioeconomic factors associated with the risk and prevalence of dental caries and dental treatment trends in children: A cross-sectional analysis of national survey of children’s health (NSCH) data, 2016-2019. Cureus, 13(11). Web.
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