Florida Senate - 2014                            (NP)    SR 1490
       
       
        
       By Senator Garcia
       
       
       
       
       
       38-01086-14                                           20141490__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing February 2014, and each
    3         February thereafter, as “Oral Health Awareness Month”
    4         in Florida.
    5  
    6         WHEREAS, oral health is a critical component of overall
    7  health affecting speech, nutrition, growth and function, social
    8  development, employability and productivity, and quality of
    9  life, and
   10         WHEREAS, dental decay is the most common chronic disease
   11  among children, 4 times more common than asthma and early
   12  childhood obesity and 20 times more common than diabetes, and
   13         WHEREAS, untreated dental disease is linked to adverse
   14  health outcomes associated with diabetes, stroke, heart disease,
   15  bacterial pneumonia, preterm and low birth weight deliveries,
   16  and, in some instances, death, and
   17         WHEREAS, students miss more than 51 million hours of school
   18  and employed adults lose more than 164 million hours of work
   19  each year due to dental disease or dental visits, and
   20         WHEREAS, dental decay affects 18 percent of the nation’s
   21  children ages 2 to 4 years, 52 percent of children ages 6 to 8
   22  years, and 61 percent of children at 15 years of age, and
   23         WHEREAS, dental decay is one of the most prevalent health
   24  problems in this state, and
   25         WHEREAS, access to dental care is associated with higher
   26  use of preventive and restorative dental services, and
   27         WHEREAS, children from low-income households suffer more
   28  tooth decay than other children, and
   29         WHEREAS, good oral health is critical to good overall
   30  health, NOW, THEREFORE,
   31  
   32  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   33  
   34         That February 2014, and each February thereafter, is
   35  recognized as “Oral Health Awareness Month” in Florida.