ORAL HYGIENE SESSION 2 BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 1
dental FLOSS Floss is a special string used to clean between your teeth. This is a very hard space to get clean Floss can get to small spaces your toothbrush can t reach. There are different kinds of dental floss you can use. They are all used the same way, and you should pick one that works best for you: Waxed - easier to slide between the teeth, best for teeth that are close together Unwaxed Thick/wide Thin - Also good for tight spaces Unflavored Different flavors like mint or cinnamon The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends to floss once a day, you choose what is the best time of the day for you to do so. We recommend doing it before going to sleep. It s important that we begin to develop this good habit with yourself and your children. Remember kids should floss too. In a few minutes we will demonstrate the proper technique to floss and brush BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 6
dental FLOSS ACCEPTED BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 7
TOOTHBRUSHES Another important tool we need to maintain good oral health is a good toothbrush. Let s discuss how to pick a good toothbrush and toothpaste, and how much toothpaste to use. The bristles on a toothbrush can be soft, medium, or hard it is best to use the soft ones, unless a dentist tells you to use something different. Look for the word soft on the toothbrush package. It will be gentle on your teeth and gums. Everyone should have his/her own toothbrush, and get a new one every 3 months or once the bristles are worn out and lose shape, whatever comes first. If you do not brush properly, or brush too hard, the brush will be worn out faster. If you clean your teeth with a worn out-brush you will not clean your teeth well and can actually harm your teeth and gums. The most important thing to know when picking a toothbrush to use is that it is not worn out and can reach all parts of all your teeth. An electric toothbrush helps many people to brush the hard-to-reach-teeth in the back of your mouth. For kids it`s often fun to brush with an electric toothbrush. Does anyone know what kind of toothpaste we should use? Wait for response from the group You should use toothpaste with fluoride. Any flavor or brand is ok as long as it has fluoride in it, even the cheapest ones from Dollar Stores or drug stores. On the package it should say Accepted by the American Dental Association, or ADA. You can look for the ADA logo on the box and the tube of the toothpaste Does anyone know what Fluoride is? Wait for response from the group Fluoride is a special mineral found in nature that helps make teeth stronger and helps keep your teeth from getting cavities. Adults can cover the whole toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste. We will talk about how much to use with children a little later in this session. When is the best time to clean our teeth, mouth, and gums? Yes, right after every meal, so food does not get stuck. Try to brush at least twice a day, in the morning and before bedtime. The most important time is at the end of the day, before bedtime. Then do not eat or drink anything but water after brushing. BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 8
TOOTH BRUSHES ACCEPTED GOOD BAD TOOTH PASTE BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 9
5 Steps to good oral hygiene Pass out the oral hygiene handout I will do a demonstration on how to properly floss and brush. Please follow the hand out as we learn how to properly floss. Its 2 easy steps. Flossing & Brushing demonstration: Materials: Dental Floss Teeth model Tooth brush Sample toothpaste tube Instructions: Have the assistant walk around the room, demonstrate how to properly floss and brush using the teeth model and allow participants to practice. 1. You need a long piece of dental floss. Take out a piece of floss that goes from your fingers to your elbow. Connect the ends with a knot. Wrap the ends around your middle fingers so it lies comfortably in your hands. Then hold the floss tight with your thumb and pointer finger, so there is only a little bit of floss between your fingers. 2. Gently slide the floss up and down against each side of each tooth. Be careful not to push the floss too hard or it can cut and hurt your gums. Do not rub the floss side to side like you are shining shoes either. The floss should slide up against each side of each tooth, even the back teeth. Do you have any questions about flossing? Motivation: In the beginning, it`s kind of hard, but after some practice, it will get easier and will only take about 2 minutes to floss every tooth. Your gums might be sensitive and bleed a little bit at first, but that is common if you never cleaned your gums or spaces between your teeth before. If you make flossing a habit, it will become easier and your gums will become healthier and will not bleed. Pause grab toothbrush & tooth paste Now let s look at the steps to good brushing. Let s follow the handout for this too. Starting on step 3. 3. Hold the brush at an angle along the gum line. It doesn t matter if you start at the top or bottom. Brush gently, making small circles, across all your top teeth, at the gum line. 4. Let s brush the chewing surfaces of our teeth next. Make sure you brush all the surfaces of your teeth. 5. Now we move on to our tongue and the roof of our mouth. A clean mouth is more than just clean teeth. You should spend about 2 minutes brushing your teeth Ask your assistant to pass out the model for participants to practice How many times per day do we floss? How many times per day do we brush? Does anyone have any questions about brushing and flossing? BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 10
5 Steps to good oral hygiene 1. 5. 2. 4. 3. BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 11
What if YOU don t have a toothbrush or floss Now let s discuss what to do if you do not have a toothbrush or floss available to clean our mouth, teeth, and gums. How can we keep this special part of our body clean and healthy? It would be best if we all have our own toothbrush, and could brush and floss right after every meal. But we may not always have these things on hand when we need them. So, what can we do, any ideas? Wait for a response. Get 2-3 ideas from participants and move on. If you don t have a toothbrush, you can rinse your mouth out with water after eating to clear away some of the food. You can also use your finger or wet towel like a toothbrush and gently massage your gum line, making little circles, like you would if you were brushing. If you do not have any toothpaste, you can use a toothbrush and water If you don t have any floss, you might use a toothpick to remove some bigger pieces of food, or other clean string. Be careful and don`t harm your gum with the toothpick. Try chewing sugar free gum to help you make more saliva which will help wash away leftover food and some bacteria too. Gum that has the ingredient xylitol is best, because that ingredient is good for your teeth. Mouthwash can help, but doesn`t replace brushing. BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 16
WHAT IF YOU DON T HAVE A toothbrush or floss BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 17
SESSION REVIEW We have learned a lot today. We learned about the cavities and tooth decay, the bacteria that causes it, and how to clean our teeth, mouth, and gums. Let s review some of the key messages. Refer to handout Session 2 Review Sheet Ask the participants what they learned today. Make sure the participants mention all of the key points listed in the session 2 review sheet Now let s set some goals for our family. Take some time to set goals for your family and ways you will overcome some barriers you might have. ACTIVITY: Goals and Barriers: Materials: Goals and Barriers Handout Pass out handout to all participants. Have participants set goals to implement lessons learned and strategies to overcome barriers. Read out loud the instructions on the worksheet. Participants will share their responses in the next session. HOMEWORK: Brushing Chart Worksheet Instructions: Pass out homework worksheet. Assignment: Track assignment on worksheet Practice brushing and flossing using techniques learned during the session. Help young children brush and floss. HANDOUT: Session 2 Review Sheet Instructions: Pass out session 2 review sheet to all participants. Hand out the hygiene goody bag to all participants. Close the session by informing the participants about next week s topic. Remind everyone the next meeting date and time. End the session with a farewell to all participants. BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 18
REVIEW Good oral hygiene = clean every part of your mouth, teeth, tongue, and gums Brush all surfaces of the teeth; outside, inside and chewing surface + tongue + gums + roof of the mouth and floss Use toothpaste with fluoride in it Brush 2 x day, 2 minutes Floss 1 x day Home dental exam 1 x month; yourself and children -- Lift the top & bottom lip of kids to check for cavities. Help young children maintain a healthy mouth and build good oral hygiene habits by: -- Clean a baby s mouth and gums after feeding. -- Start brushing when they get their first tooth Help them brush until they can tie their own shoes Complete oral health hygiene only takes 5 minutes a day BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 19
This product was developed for the Boca Sana, Cuerpo Sano project with funding from the DentaQuest Foundation. For more information about this project and educational materials please call Vista Community Clinic (760)631-5000. BSCS_flipchart_session2.indd 20