National Smile Month in the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man, an island nestled between Great Britain and Ireland, is notorious for poor children’s oral hygiene. In fact, almost half of the island’s children under 5 years old suffer from severe tooth decay, with an average of 2.5 decayed, filled, or missing teeth.
During National Smile Month, they intend to do something about it. From May 15th to June 15th, the The Children’s Centre and the Department of Health are teaming up to bring oral health education to the island’s kids.
Danni Mottram, a healthier outcomes worker from The Children’s Centre, and Patricia Newson, a community dental nurse, plan to visit preschools across the island to educate children on the benefits of brushing their teeth and including calcium in their diet. Children will be taught about using fluoride toothpaste and the dangers of consuming too much sugary and acidic food.
“During each session with the pre-school children we will talk to them about the benefits of eating foods rich in calcium which is important in the development of healthy teeth. We will also show them how to brush their teeth properly and explain the importance of brushing in maintaining healthy teeth,” said Danni.
With the help of a cuddly, plush hippo named Flossie and a giant toothbrush, Danni and Patricia will teach children how to clean their teeth properly. Each child will then leave with a complimentary toothbrush from the Department of Health and healthy cheese snacks from Isle of Man Creamery.
“I am very pleased that this year The Children’s Centre is supporting National Smile Month. It is well known that dental health in children on the Isle of Man is poor amongst all ages surveyed. However we realize how important it is for all sectors of our community to work together to improve dental health and the contribution being made by The Children’s Centre is extremely valuable,” commented Patricia.
Everyone in the world deserves a healthy smile, and we want to do our part to ensure they have one. Know of an organization that could use our help? Let us know!
Comments (0)