The Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-04-30, Page 13This is Mrs. Barbara Bakker's Grade 2 and 3 class at Brookside '
School last Wednesday as they took part in the brush -in program
carried out by the Huron County Health Unit.. Each child has'
bee?routfi"tted with a towel to protect his clothing, a .toothbrush, --
a cup of water for rinsing his mouth, an empty cup;. for spitting
•
r.
into and a dab of special fluoride toothpaste. The application: of_
this toothpaste will reduce the number of cavities ir%•his teeth for
thenext- year. when another application will be made. This annual
program as well as correct dental hygiene will ensure healthier
teeth in Huron County adults of the future: (staff photo)
Mrs. 'Joanne Homan R N...demon •urates the:.correct method to 'use teeth, inside -and -out, to move.aILtbe„food..particles. which. can
whew -brushing° e''Aeeth: : A•sY :the.:xh:ilslr".en Awatsh,- she.:nnstructs, , i ause:decay: taff pphofo) W °�
them -to 'brush -down -on the top up -„on the bottom. teeth and ° ...__..•.. ...
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Mrs. G°ail Brisbane readies a tray of water in individual cups for the brush -in program which took
n place at Brookside School last Wednesday. Each student gets a cup of water with which to rinse his
. mouth during the session at which he applies a special decay -preventing substance to his teeth.
- (staff photo)
I,.
Most children at Brookside took.
the brush -in presentation
seriously. Here Ronnie Maize,
son of Mr.'and Mrs: John Maize,
RR 1, Dungannon, shows his
interest in the application of
fluoride to his teeth. Dr. G. P. A.
Evans, MOH for Huron, says
that if the . children., are
conscientious about their
brushing, there is an excellent
chance -the fluoride application
Will be just as effective as if it
had been accomplished by -a
professional. (staff photo)
Special fluoride bras
costs little; helps so
Brookside Public School
students in Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4
had time out from their regular
studies Wednesday while they'
took part in a ”brush -in" session
right in their classrooms.
Lt was a 'happy expgrience''for
'most of the youngsters judging
from their broad smiles and rapt
attention from . the time Mrs.
Joanne Homan Rel and Mrs. Gail
Brisbane, representatives of the
Huron County . Health Unit,
walked in the classroom-ooT.—
First of all, Mrs. Homan gave
the children , a ` brief but
informative lesson in dental.
hygiene. -She ,;touched on such
subjects as proper diet, visits to
the • family dentist:._ and the
correct brushing procedures.
She questioned the students
on their knowledge of teeth.
"Why do we brush our
teeth?” Mrs. Homan asked.
"So the bugs, won't chew
them up," answered one willing
little chap.
"How many sets of teeth do
we have?%' she queried.
"Our regular teeth and • our
false teeth," offered another lad.
But most of the answers she
got -'showed that most of the
children were informed about
the proper care of their teeth. It
was' time for the actual brushing.
Each child was supplied with
a toothbrush to take home, even
the children whose parents had
not given consent for them to
•participate in 'the-• - - brush -in
program. It is hoped that these
children will, derive some benefit
from the lesson on dentakhealth
and that the child will have been
encouraged to use his brand new .
toothbrush regularly.°
This is Sharon Blake, daughter cif Mr. and Mrs: Keith Blake, RR 7, Lucknow, as she bra, hes her' •
'teeth tinder`�the su ervisio y . ,er1-1 r Health Unit."staf f wor .at...,rQ...laC .S pool •
'�. o ri � # • ' � hn a
�a5tWednesday. lYa' t iii °Mrs. "� "� 'lii"t a �s5. st
S roti .,�.k:�rede.�•stader y � ( � ,,„„ ,
Y
Murray Lyons, son of Mr. and Mrs: Gordon Lyons, RR 1, Lucknow, and Barbara `Henderson,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Heenderson°, 11R 3, Luckrrovw, shakes hands with the friendly
al ator oh, the poster who advises children to'see ,their dentist regularly..>Both. children had just
p . g l fluoride compound which will make their visits„tchj der►tw
Completed brushing with a 'spec�a
*-much (es worrisnc a°becau 'they::WI> i ay.o3oi�ver.:cay.it'e o4fli ktaf'phOto ” , . „.
n
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Every child who'is4taking .part
in the brush -in is given a bit of a
special fluoride paste. Under the
direction of the nurse and her
assistaht, the children brush
their teeth, ; with , the special
'preparation. Three consecutive
brushings taking about two t9
three minutes in all are sufficient
to ensure that t,e fluoride paste.
has reached all parts o? every
tooth, in those children who are
',brushing.
Then the children clean up
and are advised not to take fa
drink forat least a half hour ---
or
or longer if ,possible:
There really isn't very much
to it as far as the children are
concerned It is a fun -type
experience for -them and the
° fruit -flavoured paste is a fit asant
addition to their day.
• But the. results • of the
brushings will- have some pretty
astounding results.
"The fluoride in the paste
goes right into the teeth,'',Mrs.
Homan explained. "It makes the
enamel stronger so that when
the bacteria in the mouth acts -
on the teeth and causes acid, the
teeth aren't as soluable." •
In ordinary language, it
simply means that.•fewer cavities
are . likely ' to result in teeth
which have had,, the special
fluoride compound • applied to
them. What's more, studies show
the effectiveness' of this- one
application continues from six
months to one year.
Of course, it is very
important to continue with a.
good :diet, regular brushings and
twice -annual trips to the dentist,
but judging from results of
earlier brush -ins in swhich 1.5
million people_tested the paste,
those few minutes of,brushing
should eliminate anywhere from
45 to 95 percent of • dental
cavities normally expected to
develop among the participants
in the . next few months
-depending on how much
fluoridated ,water they drink and
how well they practice daily
dental hygiene...
The brush -in venture is the
newest of the Huron County
Health Unit steps to, provide the.,
best possible •preventative
medicine program for residents
much
here.Alt
' The scheme, like all other
Huron County' Health Unit
services, is countywide and.. is
f i n a n eed jointly through
provincial grants and- county tax
dollars,
Medical -Officer of -Health -for -
Huron County, Dr.' Gerald P. A.
Evans; ports the brush -in
program was planned , during
November and December of
1969 • and implemented in
January 1970. That's quite an'
achievement considering the" .. •°
brush -in idea is only about one
year old in Ontario and five
years old in North America. '
Dr. R. K.- Ryan, a public
health ° dentist from the
Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph
Public health Unit, is working in
an advisory capacity with the
Huron . Unit in the dental
brush -in program. He is available
for about one session a month
and has been a real asset in
getting the program off the •
ground_ .and working smoothly.
So far,• • 3,544 students in
Grades 1 to 4 in Huron County
have been given •the opportunity
to participate . in a brush -in
session. To date, 3';`209 children
or 90.5 percent of - the total °
enrolment in Grades "1- to 4 have
taken advantage of the scheme.
Parental consetit is required
before the children may take
part'in the •brush -in.
Cost per student; according
•
to Dr. Evans, runs at about 60
M cents. •
Beginning in September; the
• program will be extended to
include Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 as
well as the first four grades. Dr.
.:E.uans,..said the -Grades 4 - to 4
were given priority in the
beginning of the new program,
but that all grades will be
included as the programis
expanded. •
"I recommend that eyery
parent who is invited •' to give
consent for his or her child to
participate in .a brush -in program
should not •hesitate. to . do so," °'
advised Dr. Evans, "because it is
an effective and perfectly safe
method of diminishing dental
caries."
Nis. ,•.\.\\•\•. \•\•••• `•s"•% •• S,• ••••\\
(�ndrxtrl� 'ignat-''tar
PHO T® S TOR Y
BY
SHIRLEY 41. KELLER
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