In today’s United States of America, about 74 million Americans have no dental coverage, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. That’s around 23% of the population, or more than double the percentage that lacks health insurance in USA. Unlike international students’ vaccine (aka 留学生疫苗) which is usually included in the plan, the majority of international student health insurance plans don’t have dental coverage. For example, besides purchasing insurance for OPT period (aka opt期间保险), OPT visa holders need to buy dental insurance separately. Without a dental insurance, one-time dental visit in the U.S. (aka 美国 看牙) quickly squeezes the wallet of an individual. It will happen to individuals who are enrolled in university insurance in America (aka 美国大学保险) and/or U.S. travel insurance (aka 美国旅游保险). The total expense on health insurance, therefore, terrifies the insured people, if they are not allowed to waive their American college health insurance (aka waive 美国大学保险).

But, keeping a healthy set of teeth is more important than you might think, as many diseases and conditions (including diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease) have direct correlations to dental health. An individual insurance plan makes good oral health easier to maintain and can help provide peace of mind – something that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. Many children in the United States are using more toothpaste than officially recommended, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Analysis of 2013-2016 data found that over 38 percent of children aged three to six years used more toothpaste than that recommended by CDC and other professional organizations,” said the report published on Friday.

The recommended toothpaste amount for children at three to six years old is of pea-size, while those under three should use a smear the size of a rice grain, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the CDC noted that nearly 80 percent of children aged 3 to 15 years started brushing later than the recommended age of six months.

Fluoride use could help avoid tooth decay, but the CDC recommended children to begin using fluoride toothpaste at two years old, so as to prevent inadvertent ingestion of too much fluoride and the potential risk of dental fluorosis.

The CDC suggested parents and caregivers make sure children brush their teeth often enough with the recommended amount of toothpaste. Health care professionals and organizations could also help by providing enough education.