Hello, my name is Margret Gohl and I am an Oral Health Peer Worker at the Woolwich Community Health Centre. Some of your children may have seen me in their classrooms last year along with Heidi Wagner as we travelled to different schools teaching children about caring for their teeth and farm safety.
Our days as parents and caregivers are very busy and we don’t often take enough time to care for ourselves. We need to be reminded that self-care is very important and an important lesson to pass on to our children.
Healthy people are happier people, they are more productive and live longer lives.
Did you know that people with gum disease ( bleeding gums) have a much higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes? Premature babies and low birth weight have also been associated with a mother’s chronic gum disease and cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases in children. Cavities are painful, can lead to more serious infections and are costly. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Prevention is easy, but it does take determination and willpower to develop and stick to a good routine of tooth brushing and flossing each morning and night.
Proper brushing (for about 2 minutes) significantly reduces the amount of sugar and bacteria in your mouth. Flossing reaches between your teeth and under the edges of your gums to remove the bacteria that remains in those tight spots. You may remember from your school days that certain bacteria grow quickly in dark, warm, moist places. That is why plaque grows so easily in your mouth and that bacteria, when mixed with food debris, leads to cavities and gum disease.
Starting your children at a young age to value the importance of caring for their teeth will help ensure that their teeth last a long and trouble free life. I often ask my young visitors at the dental office if they remember to put their clothes on before going to school in the morning and they seemed shocked. Of course they do! Brushing and flossing your teeth should become just as easy and important of a routine as getting dressed in the morning and putting on your pyjamas before bed.
It really is that simple.
If you have any questions about dental care or financial assistance please contact us at the Woolwich Community Health Centre.
Our dental phone line is 519-664-3794 ext# 223
Wishing you and your family a safe and healthy year.
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