2023 Steveston Smiles Scholarship WINNERS !
FIRST PLACE WINNER: MICAH
Why is Oral Health Important?
SECOND PLACE WINNER: MAKENA
Why is Oral Health Important?
Vanity, looks, self confidence, overall health? The truth is oral health is important for all of the above reasons. Some people think that teeth are just a minor insignificant part of the human body. That as long as we brush twice a day, we are fine; But the reality of it is, teeth play an important role in our overall health. It affects how we eat, speak, breathe and it also plays an important role in how we feel about ourselves. Therefore, not only do we need to brush and floss daily but we must also get regular check ups and eat a healthy diet in order to detect potential issues and correct them early as well as keep them in optimal health. Failing to do so, can have detrimental consequences to our daily living.
My younger sister used to suck her thumb up until the age of 9. My parents tried everything to make her stop but nothing worked. As a result, her teeth were crooked, the shape of her mouth/mandibule/bite was negatively impacted; And at school, her teachers noticed that her speech was affected and she was referred to a speech pathologist. She was ashamed and wouldn’t speak or smile for fear of being ridiculed for her teeth or speech. The only solution were braces. She is now a teenager and I see first hand how confident she is now that her teeth are straight, her bite was corrected and she now is able to speak more confidently and show her beautiful smile in pictures.
My hope is that we all see the value in maintaining optimal oral health and making it available to all. I applaud the government for taking the first step by offering the Canada Dental benefit to qualifying families and wish that in time, this benefit is extended to singles and seniors. We are all deserving of living a healthy life and oral health plays a very important role in achieving that goal