Oral Health in the Child Care Setting

From the Bureau of Oral Health ODH Survey of the Oral Health of Ohio Schoolchildren—Key Findings –Dental disease remains a common condition –55% children experience tooth decay by 3 rd –Overall oral health –of Ohio’s children is not improving dramatically

Objectives Define the process of tooth decay and its causes Give 2 examples of appropriate oral heath care in a child care setting Identify the treatment steps in a dental emergency

Dental Surgery 4 year old boy History of congenital heart disease Severe dental caries Pain when chewing food Surgery for teeth extractions

Did You Know… More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones. Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different. The toothbrush is first on the list of inventions that adults could not live without. The average person only brushes for seconds a day, the recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes.

Teeth Are Important Smiling Chewing Speaking Jaw Placement Baby teeth

Oral Health Facts Tooth Decay : More common than asthma Affects all age groups

What is Tooth Decay? An active process of tooth damage resulting from interactions between teeth, food and bacteria.

Chain of Decay Sugars + Bacteria = Acid Acid + Tooth = DECAY

Problems Associated with Tooth Decay in Early Childhood

Problems Associated with Tooth Decay 1.Destruction of teeth 2.Difficulty Chewing 3.Speech problems 4.Poor self image 5.Severe Infections 6.Negative affect on learning

Primary Teeth X-ray of a 5-6 year old child

Many Faces of Decay

Contributing Factors for Cavities Not Enough..

Safe Zone Danger Zone pH Bottle Breakfast Snack Sippy Cup Sippy Cup Lunch Frequency of sugar is more important than the amount. Not what you eat, but how often

Dentally Safe Drinks WATER Other drinks taken at one “sitting” and not sipped all day long. Check Food Labels for Sugar Content: Low: 0-8 grams Medium: 9-11 grams High: 12+ grams

How Much Sugar Is In That Bottle?

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Teething

Comfort Measures

Why Brush Teeth in Day Care Centers? Develop good habits Children may not brush at home Children learn basic hygiene principals

Oral Hygiene in the Child Care Setting Infant Mouth Care

Good, Better, Best

Tooth Brushing In Child Care  Soft bristle tooth brush  Half a pea size amount of toothpaste  Use a circular motion

Care Of The Toothbrush Air-dry in an upright position Toothbrushes should not touch or drip on another toothbrush Toothbrushes are not to touch other people or objects Replacement of toothbrush

Storing Toothbrushes

A Word about Fluoride

Steps to Good Oral Health

Teeth are Jewels not Tools

Dental First Aid ODH/ODJFS Chart Baby tooth should not be replanted Place permanent tooth in HBSS or milk, if not available

Loosened~ Chipped Tooth Rinse the mouth Apply a cold compress Do not reposition the tooth

Tying It All Together Songs…. A Few Handouts... Fun Activities

Questions?? One thing that I have learned ….

Resources -HSIPC Head Start Bulletinwww.headstartinfo.org -ODH, Bureau of Oral Health Serviceswww.odh.state.oh.us - American Dental Associationwww.ada.org -CDC’s Oral Health Programwww.cdc.gov - American Academy of Pediatric Dentistrywww.aapd.org - Head Start Dental Health Curriculumwww.bmcc.org/Headstart/Dental - Colgate Bright Smiles Education Pageswww.colgatebsbf.com -Children’s Dental Heath Projectwww.cdhp.org - Kids Healthwww.kidshealth.org