Tooth Decay and Grade Decline

Ophir Alalouf, DDS

Ophir Alalouf, DDS, on Tooth Decay and Grade Decline

Dr. Ophir Alalouf is owner and managing member of Kids Teeth, LLC., in Rockville, Maryland. Together with his 10 staff members, Dr. Alalouf treats pediatric dental patients in a friendly and fun atmosphere.

Ophir Alalouf, DDS, on Tooth Decay and Grade Decline

If you put off dental care for your children, you may be damaging their grade point average. Researchers at the Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles have found a link between poor dental care and low grades.

Ophir Alalouf, DDS, on Tooth Decay and Grade Decline

Researchers studied the histories of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. They looked at connections between grades, absences, and dental problems, and discovered that children who reported having tooth pain were more likely to have grades in the bottom half of their classes than children without tooth pain. The researchers posited that children with aching teeth may be less attentive in class and so might be learning less at school. In order to close this achievement gap and ensure all students receive adequate dental care, the study’s authors recommended that schools partner with dentists to deliver preventative dental care on campus during the school day.