Healthy Teeth for a Healthy You Oral Health Education for Grades 1-3

1. Healthy Teeth for a Healthy YouOral Health Education for Grades 1-3

2. Why do we need our teeth? SPEAKING Our teeth, tongue, lips and cheeks help us say words clearly. EATING We need our teeth to chew our food! SMILING We need our teeth to look and feel our very best!

3. Why do we need our baby teeth? • They save space, and guide our permanent teeth into place. • We use them to eat and chew our food properly, while we wait for our adult teeth to develop.

4. As you can see, our adult teeth are growing underneath our baby teeth! Adult teeth push on the roots of the baby teeth as they grow, causing the root to dissolve, and the baby teeth to become wiggly! When the baby tooth falls out, it leaves space for the new adult tooth to slide right into its space!

5. How can We Keep Our Teeth Healthy and Strong?

6. Floss Brush Visit a dental professional And choose veggies and fruit

7. Clean Teeth Teeth with Plaque Brushing and flossing every day can help remove the sticky plaque that forms on your teeth!

8. 2 FOR 2 IS WHAT YOU DO! Brush 2 times per day for 2 minutes!

9. #1 #2 Choose a toothbrush that is small enough for your mouth. Use a pea size amount of toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride adds protection to your teeth and helps prevent cavities! Toothpaste FLUORIDE

10. Brush for 2 minutes - play some music and brush for the length of a song! Brush in small circles so that you brush your teeth and your gums. TONGUE TOP BACK FRONT

11. Floss once a day! 1x Ask a helper if you find it hard to do!

12. What differences do you see in these photos? #1 #2 • Pink, healthy gums • Shiny, clean, white teeth • Red swollen gums • Brown spots on teeth (cavities)

13. What is a cavity or tooth decay? ?

14. Sticky plaque on the teeth, comes in contact with sugars from foods that are to be broken down in the mouth, and creates an acid! When acid sits on the tooth surface, it can start to create a hole in the tooth (a cavity)! If a cavity becomes large enough, it can cause a tooth ache! Plaque + Sugar = Acid Acid + Tooth = Decay

15. What can you do if you have a cavity? A dentist, or dental professional can help!

16. A visit to the dental office is important! • Have your teeth checked every 6 months to: • Make sure your teeth and gums are healthy. • Catch a cavity earlier so it is easier to fix, and does not hurt! • Have your teeth cleaned, and have fluoride applied to protect your teeth!

17. Oral health problems can also contribute to health problems that affect other parts of the body, like the heart, lungs, and digestive system. Our body is all connected! We can keep our teeth healthy by brushing and flossing and going to the dentist for regular checkups. Being careful about what we eat can also help. What kinds of foods should you limit? What could you eat instead?

18. Let’s take a look at different snack options: • Every Day Foods • Eat these foods every day. • They help our bodies get what they need to learn, play, and grow

19. Let’s take a look at different snack options: • Sometimes Foods • Eat these foods less often. • They can stick to your teeth and can have a lot of sugar, which can lead to cavities.

20. It is important to choose healthy foods for meals and snacks. Snacks with less sugar, like vegetables and fruit, are better for your teeth!

21. Thank You! Free Oral Health Clinics are available at Public Health for children 0-17. Ask your parent/guardian to call Public Health to learn about free oral health services.