A Lifetime of Healthy Happy Teeth! Grades: 2 & 3

Why do we need our teeth? Eating! To chew our food. That’s an easy one! Can you imagine trying to eat an apple, carrot or a hamburger without teeth? It would be pretty hard, wouldn’t it?

Why do we need our teeth? Speaking! Our tongue, lips and cheeks help us pronounce words!

Why do we need our teeth? Smiling! We need our teeth in order to look our very best!

Why do we need our baby teeth? They act as space savers. They guide the permanent teeth into place. Babies and children get 20 teeth Grown- ups have 32 teeth

What a tooth looks like. The CROWN: The part of the tooth above the gums. Just like a king’s hat!

What a tooth looks like. The ROOT: The part of the tooth below the gumline. Just as the roots of a tree hold the tree in the ground, the roots of your teeth hold your teeth in your mouth.

Now that we know what a tooth looks like, let’s talk about what makes a cavity in your tooth! Cavities are caused by PLAQUE! What is PLAQUE? An invisible film of germs that constantly grows on your teeth. It feels fuzzy. Rub your tongue on your teeth, do they feel fuzzy? You brush your teeth to remove PLAQUE!

Plaque + Sugary Foods = ACID TOOTH DECAY Plaque + Sugary Foods = ACID + = An ACID is: Something that eats through something else. When ACID sits on your teeth, it eats through your teeth, making a hole or “cavity.” This is tooth decay!

More on TOOTH DECAY If you have a small cavity (tooth decay) and you… Visit the dentist regularly Have fluoride applied to your teeth Do a good job brushing Eat the right foods The cavity (tooth decay) may not spread further.

One of the best ways to fight TOOTH DECAY is: Avoid sugary snacks! Can anyone name some sugary snacks?

Can you cut out all sugar from your diet Can you cut out all sugar from your diet? NO, but you can cut down on it! If you eat sweets: Eat them at meal times. Brush your teeth afterward. If you cannot brush, swish with water and swallow! This helps to remove food particles from your teeth.

Can you name some snacks that would be healthier for both our bodies and our teeth? There are many snacks that not only taste good, but are good for you. Some foods can also help clean the plaque off the teeth like hard crunchy apples or cheeses.

Plaque continues to grow on our teeth everyday! It can be removed with proper brushing. Always use a toothpaste with fluoride in it! Fluoride helps make teeth stronger, so decay germs and acids can’t hurt them.

Let’s review proper tooth brushing… Use a soft bristled toothbrush. Move the brush back and forth gently in short strokes. Brush the top, front and back sides of each tooth. Use Fluoride toothpaste.

When should you brush your teeth? After eating At bedtime

Don’t share your toothbrush with anyone else! Get a new toothbrush… Every 3 months. When yours becomes frayed. After you have been sick. Don’t share your toothbrush with anyone else!

Is there anything else we can do to clean our teeth? Who knows what dental floss is? You should floss your teeth very gently, once a day. Flossing is not as easy for kids to do as brushing so you should ask a grown-up for help. Flossing is just as important as brushing because it helps get the food out of places your toothbrush can’t reach.

Be sure to visit your dentist 2 times each year. If you have a cavity, the dentist will be able to find it when it is small. The dentist, dental hygienist or dental assistant will apply fluoride to your teeth.

Can you remember why we need our teeth? Our teeth are important because they help us talk properly, chew our food and give us beautiful smiles! Taking good care of our teeth is something each of us can do Healthy teeth can last a lifetime if they are cared for properly

Keep smiling and thank you for listening! For more information on oral health see the Nova Scotia Dental Association Website www healthyteeth.org This presentation has been adapted and used with permission from the Dental Health Program developed by the Clay County Public Health Center. All photos obtained from office.microsoft.com/clipart unless otherwise noted.