February 5, 2016 at 4:28 p.m.
Pelican students learn about dental hygiene
Pelican students learn about dental hygiene
By Kayla Thomason-
The grant-funded program has been in existence since 2007. Dentists go to schools, Headstart programs and day care centers in Forest, Florence, Vilas and Oneida counties to teach kids about maintaining proper oral health and to apply sealants.
The program is provided through the Northwoods Dental Project and the fiscal agent is the Vilas County Health Department.
The dentists visit the children and teaches them how often they need to floss and brush their teeth, what plaque and bacteria do to teeth, and the effect soda can have on their pearly whites.
"We come in and we do the education prior to doing the sealant program," said Barb Garrett, a dental assistant who has been facilitating the program since 2009.
Parents decide whether their child should get the sealant. If the parents agree to the sealant, their child will see the dentist at school and have an exam to see if there is tooth decay or other problems. Teeth that need to be sealed are fixed at that time.
Information about the exam is saved on the dentist's computer and the children receive goody bags with items to promote oral health.
"I've noticed that since I've been with the program that there is a lot less decay, especially if we have seen them from little on," Garrett said. "It is working, it definitely is working," she added.
Garrett was familiar with many of the children she saw at Crescent as she has been working with them since they received a fluoride varnish at the 4K or kindergarten level. The varnish is also part of the Healthy Smiles program.
Garrett will see the same students again next year to check the sealants.
"We just really want to bring the message to kids that their teeth are connected to their entire body and that's something that I think the dental community as a whole is trying to change to really get people to look at their teeth as part of their overall health," said Andrea Martin, dental hygienist and oral health program coordinator.
Not only are the dentists seeing positive results from this program, staff at Pelican Elementary School are as well.
"I've witnessed this program for several years and I think over the years it's been a real productive program," said Laurie Pohnl, a second-grade teacher at the school.
Many of the students were fascinated to learning that plaque is the buildup on your teeth that makes them feel fuzzy. They also enjoyed the photos that went along with the presentation.
"They enjoy the grossness of the plaque and the pictures and can't believe that is actually in their mouths and these are close-up pictures of that," Pohnl said, adding that the students have become more familiar with the hows and whys of proper oral care.
"I think that we're pretty lucky to be able to have (this program) and for them to come to us so that the kids can take advantage of all the information that they provide for them and the families too, so everybody is on the same page," she said.
Abby Ferge, a student, enjoyed the presentation.
She said she learned that "you should brush your teeth pretty good." She agreed that the fuzzy-feeling plaque is gross and promised that she will floss and brush as the dentists recommend.
Another student, Sadie Jones, also enjoyed learning about proper oral health.
"I thought it was really good that she (Martin) told us that there was bacteria on our teeth and that we should brush them at least two times a day," she said.
Nathan Danh was equally enthusiastic about the presentation.
"I thought it was amazing," he said, adding that the plaque was grossest part of the presentation and that the sealants were cool.
He and classmate Soren Dumar both said they would brush and floss as the dentists recommended.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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