How important is dental hygiene education in schools? Mary Frances Waligory is a Dental Hygienist in Lewis County New York who is putting in her own money to keep up a dental education program in schools which teaches children the basics of dental hygiene.
Closer to home, data released in 2010 showed that fourteen per cent of Victorian children aged five to eight years had teeth filled, six per cent had teeth extracted and a further six per cent required treatment under general anaesthetic in hospital¹. That’s scary!
With statistics like that, it seems there is a need for educating parents as well as kids. When I was in my first years of school (and yes…that was a long time ago), we had a dental check-up at school, the school nurse gave us the once over including an eyesight test, and then in primary school we had courses to learn about our bodies, puberty and sex, with parents and children together. Why not a dental course for parents and children so everyone learns to foster good oral hygiene habits at home?
Many lifetime habits are formed in the early years and good dental and oral hygiene education, which the child may not be exposed to at home can prepare our kids for maintaining a healthy mouth as they progress through life.
Orignial Article: Lewis County Public Health Discounting detnal Education program | Watertown Daily Times