Health Insurance and You!

In the near future you may find your state legislature playing the role of the tooth fairy, protector of children’s gums and enemy of plaque. According to today’s New York Times, a new regulation calls for all Massachusetts children who attend preschool or daycare for more than four hours each day, or who eat lunch at school to brush their teeth in class.

In spite of the fact that parents may choose to opt out of the requirement, there is a very vocal outcry against the new mandate. Parent protesters are citing a variety of objections including concerns about spreading germs, swallowing fluoride, over-burdening caregivers and even wearing away tooth enamel from over-brushing. (see Mom’s Nation blog) Many parents are just shocked at the level of government intrusion into their children’s personal hygiene. What’s next? Mandating that children wash their hands after using the bathroom? Hmmm, sounds like a good idea to me. That would certainly be an effective way to prevent the spread of many illnesses. But, back to teeth.

Maybe parents would be less outraged if they knew about a study conducted by British medical researchers that found tooth decay reduced by 11-30% in under-privileged five year-olds who brushed at school. It’s an impressive finding. Or maybe they aren’t aware of the connections between oral health and coronary disease. Even if a child were a paragon of oral hygiene virtue, a little extra brushing after meals is not a bad thing. I would trust most daycare providers who manage to feed and change their charges without causing epidemics to assist children in brushing their teeth. Imagine the health complications, pain and expense saved by all that prevented tooth decay.

As for government reach – I recall similar outrage aimed at legislators who passed mandatory child car seat laws. But the early opposition evaporated and we are left with a law that has become second nature to us all. Who would think of putting a toddler in a car without first strapping him into an appropriate safety seat?

In a nation that spends over $100 billion on dental care (according to the Dep’t of Health and Human Services), it makes sense to train children early in health-sustaining habits. To Massachusetts parents I say: get over it. To everyone else I say: let’s watch to see the outcome of this practice and consider following in the steps of our neighbors to the East. What an easy way to help make our children healthier.