The presenter discusses the problem of dental decay in infants and preschoolers. She notes that dental decay is the most common childhood illness and that low-income children have three times the amount of decay as others. Left untreated, dental decay can cause pain, infections, problems in school, and loss of baby teeth. However, tooth decay is preventable. The presenter recommends brushing teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once daily, visiting the dentist twice yearly, and maintaining a nutritious diet with limited sugary snacks and drinks. She introduces the Brush curriculum, which provides weekly lessons for early childhood educators to teach dental health, nutrition, and visits. The goal is to reduce tooth decay

1. Presented by: Holli Seabury, CEO
McMillen Center for Health Education

2. Children
Early
Childhood
Educators
Parents
Doctors

6. Why Should
You Care?

7. Dental Decay in Infants
and Preschoolers
• The extent of the problem
• The importance of primary teeth and how
decay relates to school success
• Signs of decay

8. Dental Decay in Infants
and Preschoolers
• How to prevent decay
• How nutrition relates to decay
• Using the Brush curriculum

9. Extent of
The Problem

10. The Extent of
The Problem
• Dental decay is the most common
childhood illness; 5 times more
common than asthma

11. The Extent of The Problem
• Decay has dropped for all age groups except preschoolers
– they have seen a rise
• 28% of preschoolers have dental decay
• Low-income children have 3 times the amount of decay
• 20% of the children have 80% of the cavities

12. • Dentists nationwide
say they are seeing
more preschoolers
with 6 to 10 cavities
or more.
• The level of decay
is so severe that they
often need to use
general anesthesia.

14. • Children miss 51 million hours of school
due to dental decay.
• Much of this is due to the secondary ear,
nose and throat infections caused by decay.

15. Primary Tooth
Timeline

16. •
•
•
•
Healthy Primary Teeth
Are Important!
In learning to speak properly
For chewing the healthiest foods like fruits and vegetables
To keep permanent teeth spaced properly
Decayed baby teeth can also decay the permanent teeth
below

17. Healthy Primary Teeth
Are Important!
•
•
•
Loss of baby teeth is a self-esteem issue
Children who are in pain from dental decay have
problems paying attention and learning
Decayed teeth can cause repeated ear and
throat infections

18. Healthy Primary Teeth
Are Important!
•
If children are in pain, are sick, aren’t sleeping, can’t
eat healthy food, and have self-esteem issues, they
are less likely to succeed in school.

19. Signs of Decay

20. • White spots on teeth are the first sign of decay.

21. • White spots are followed by brown, and then
black, spots on teeth.

22. • Severe decay can result in loss of primary teeth and can
damage the permanent teeth under the gums.

23. How to Prevent Decay
We have control over tooth decay!

24. Brush Teeth – 2 times a day for 2 minutes
Floss – 1 time per day
Dentist – 2 times per year

25. • Wiping babies’ gums should start at birth and be done
twice a day.

26. • Brushing twice a day with an infant toothbrush should
start when baby gets his first tooth.

27. • The bacteria
that causes
tooth decay
is contagious.
• Parents should
not share
spoons,
or put pacifiers
or bottles in
their mouths.

28. Smear (under 2)
Pea-sized (over 2)

29. • Flossing should start when baby has two teeth
that touch.
• A child’s floss pic is usually easier to use than
string floss.

30. • The first dentist visit should be at one year of age.
Babies should see the dentist earlier if they have signs
of decay or if siblings or parents have decay.

31. Nutrition and
Dental Decay
• Much of the decay in children’s teeth
is from too much sugar in their
foods and drinks.

33. • It’s not just the sugar in candy that damages
teeth.
• Many candies are gummy and get down in
between teeth.

34. Drinks Damage Teeth

35. Fruit Juice Can Damage Teeth
– Even 100% Fruit Juice.

36. Milk With Meals
-Water Between Meals.

37. Bottle Decay
• Children should never be put to bed with a bottle.

38. Baby Bottle Decay

39. Nutrition and
Dental Decay
• Much of the decay in children’s teeth
is from too much snacking.

40. Snacks
• Gummy fruit snacks are one of the most common
snacks – and one of the most damaging to teeth.

42. Fruit Snack Ingredients
Corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, juice from
concentrate, fruit purees, citric acid, lactic acid, natural
and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, gelatin, coconut
oil, carnauba wax, red 40, yellow 5 and blue 1.

43. Encourage Real Fruit and
Vegetables as a Snack

44. Healthy Snacks
– at Regular Times,
Not ALL the Time.
•
•
•
•
•
Avoid processed snacks
Cheese
Yogurt
Veggies
Fruit

46. Brush Seeks to Prevent
Decay by Reaching:
• Parents
• Children
• Early childhood learning environments

47. Brush! Themes
Theme 1:
Brushing teeth at least twice a day.

48. Brush! Themes
Theme 2:
Visiting the dentist regularly.

49. Brush! Themes
Theme 3:
The importance of good nutrition
and understanding which foods help teeth
and which foods hurt teeth.

50. Brush! Themes
Theme 4:
The importance of primary teeth
(in speech, chewing healthy foods,
in protecting the adult teeth).

51. Brush! Themes
Theme 5:
How dental health relates to school
readiness and school success.

52. Curriculum
• A 12 month curriculum
• The curriculum has weekly literacy, math,
health or art activities which reinforce dental
care, dental visits and nutrition
• Teachers can choose which lesson they want
to complete each week
• Children’s DVD
• Educator training

53. Brush
Lesson

61. Brush in Your Center
•
•
•
•
Kick-off by McMillen
Brush bags for children
Curriculum for teachers
Twice monthly parent newsletters

62. Free Resources
www.mouthhealthy.org
http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/
Information.cvsp
www.aquafresh.cm/ForKids

63. Review
• The extent of the problem
• The importance of primary teeth and how decay relates
to school success
• Signs of decay
• How to prevent decay
• How nutrition relates to decay
• Curricular resources

64. Group Activity
• List 3 things you learned.
• How will this change your practice in your
classroom?
• How will what you learned change how you
interact with parents?

65. Contact Information
Holli Seabury
hseabury@mcmillencenter.org
Toll free: (888) 240-7268
For the most up to date information join
Brush Dental Curriculum on Facebook