Oral Assignment: Dental Education in Primary School
While reading, writing & arithmetic may be the cornerstones of education, oral hygiene is a small but important part of school.
While it may seem simple, learning proper oral hygiene in school can be a great way to improve oral health & save on expensive care down the road. You may have gotten advice & were probably shown how to brush & floss by your parent/guardian well before school, but studies have shown one flaw that schooling can correct.
When you’re taught something at home, you tend to pick up the bad habits of the person you learned it from. So if your parent doesn’t clean around the gums, or shaves too much time off the two-minute brushing time, chances are you will too.
Class in Session
That’s where school can help. Having a standardized course, even if just a day or two, can help clear up any mistakes or questions introduced unintentionally through bad habits. With an instructor who has been taught proper oral hygiene from an accredited source, like a dental association, children can learn the right way at a young age, no matter what their home situation is.
Cavities are one of the most prevalent diseases in children, so lectures on oral health mainly focus on preventative care to reduce this malady. While in America, school districts & states decide curriculum, which allows for more flexibility than a national standard, but there are still nationally & internationally vetted standards schools can use, such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
Simple but Effective
Fortunately, learning good hygiene doesn’t have to be difficult, as many schools begin this education right at kindergarten or first grade. In addition to brushing & flossing properly & regularly, many instructors relay the benefits of fluoride, sealants & regular visits to the dentist. They may also be taught by a dentist.
What’s more, there are programs such as Give Kids a Smile that dentists regularly volunteer in, which help educate & treat children regardless of their ability to pay.
If you have questions about your child’s oral health, be sure to bring them up at your child’s next visit to the dentist. They’ll be happy to provide information that will keep your child smiling into adulthood & beyond.
Sources:
https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/school-health/oral-health-in-schools/?srsltid=AfmBOoqQgavNHvVyrh9WoXH03k4CSmUl6YlFxGZRkkn5iNkEfKlJSwCS
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10141745/#:~:text=Oral%20health%20education%20programs%20have,and%20dental%20hygiene%20among%20children.
https://www.astdd.org/bestpractices/wscc-bpar-final-3-2017.pdf