This monthly newsletter provides Head Start staff with materials to promote good oral health in the classroom and at home. Each newsletter also includes a recipe for a healthy snack that children can make in a Head Start classroom and at home with their families.
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Involving Parents in Their Child’s Oral Health
Parents' involvement in their child's oral health is key to the child's overall health and well-being. Parents who introduce, reinforce, and model good oral health behaviors and attitudes pass them on to their children. Parents can do this by brushing their child's teeth with fluoride toothpaste every morning and before bedtime and by giving their child healthy foods that are good for the teeth,
How Smoking Affects Oral Health
Smoking makes it more likely that a person will have tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and poor birth outcomes. It can also cause stained teeth, bad breath, and reduced ability to taste and smell. Not smoking or quitting smoking is important for overall health, including oral health. When a smoker quits, it improves their health and quality of life. It also improves the health and quality of life of those around them, especially young children.
Finding Oral Health Care
To stay healthy, it’s important for children and pregnant people to get oral health care. For some, it’s hard to find. Learn how Head Start programs can help families overcome common barriers to finding care, such as cost, not being enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), difficulty finding a dental office or clinic, and lack of time.
Last Updated: January 26, 2023