Free screenings, fluoride for kids

RBC I Connections 4 Kids, the early childhood council of Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, will be offering free oral health screenings and fluoride varnish to children during the Children’s Health Fairs in Meeker and Rangely.
The Children’s Health Fairs are scheduled for Feb. 27-28 at the Fairfield Community Center, 200 Main St., Meeker, and March 5-6 at the Early Education Center, 402 W. Main St., Rangely.
Carnival-themed events are offered to children from birth to age 5 who are not already enrolled in school. The events include games, prizes and a range of health assessments by a variety of specialized providers throughout the county.
Connections 4 Kids has received a three-year grant to implement the Cavity-Free at Three program, which is a statewide effort aimed to prevent oral disease in young children. As part of this program a registered dental hygienist will offer a free dental screening to each child in attendance at the events.
This free dental screening will include a caries (tooth decay) risk assessment, goals that can be put in place to help children stay cavity-free and healthy, and a professionally applied fluoride varnish. Fluoride varnish has been proven to be effective in preventing and reversing the early signs of dental caries by helping to make the tooth structure stronger, so teeth are more resistant to acid attacks. Fluoride also acts to repair, or re-mineralize, areas in which acid attacks have already begun. This re-mineralization effect of fluoride is important because it reverses the early decay process as well as creating a tooth surface that is more resistant to decay. The use of fluoride varnish together with a caries risk assessment and goal-setting can help children be cavity-free.
To schedule an appointment for your child from birth to age 5, call 970-675-2064. For those who speak Spanish, call 970-756-5014 for an appointment.
If you have any questions about children’s oral health or the Cavity-Free at Three program, call registered dental hygienist Ashley Moon at 970-629-5472.
For more information about Connections 4 Kids, call Michelle Balleck at 970-824-8282, ext. 47, or visit Connections4Kids.org.