Dental Clinic visits local schools, supports Children’s Dental Health Month Published Feb. 14, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jessica D. Keith 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas-- -- Servicemembers from the Goodfellow Dental Clinic visited Belaire Elementary School, Feb. 7, to deliver packages and give an oral hygiene presentation to more than 100 third and fourth graders. They are scheduled to visit 130 children at Reagan Elementary School later this month. This is the fifth annual trip the Clinic has made in recognition of Children's Dental Health Month. The 30-minute presentation included instruction on proper techniques for cleaning teeth, how to floss correctly and information on the overall importance of good dental hygiene and the consequences of failing to take care of one's teeth. The presentation also included a briefing about the effects cigarettes and smokeless tobacco have on teeth and gums. The Dental Clinic also bought gift bags for the children, which included a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and an educational coloring and activity book. Tech. Sgt. Deborah Garza, 17th Medical Operations Squadron, helped organize the event and participated in the lecture. She said the importance of getting children to develop good hygiene habits at an early age cannot be stressed enough. "If they develop healthy oral hygiene habits as children, they will continue those habits as they grow older," Sergeant Garza said. "Good oral hygiene will improve their overall health as adults." Children's Dental Health Month is sponsored by the American Dental Association. Their website states, "Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums." Capt. Abby Vinall, 17th MDOS, also participated in the event agreed that in her experience as a general dentist, adults who learn healthy oral habits as children tend to have healthy teeth. "Cavities don't just happen overnight," she said. "Dental sins such as not brushing AT LEAST twice a day, and not flossing on a daily basis will catch up to you." Mrs. Mary Shelton, who has been a teacher for 25 years and currently teaches the fourth grade at Belaire, said the children take a lot of good information from the presentation. "This is a critical time the children's development," Mrs. Shelton said. "They are starting to really become aware of general hygiene and teaching them what to do now helps them develop the habits they need throughout their lives." She said that the Dental Clinic's presentation, which included large models of teeth and toothbrushes, was effective because it grabbed the children's interest and made them want to learn. "The children enjoyed themselves and hardly even realized they were learning something new," she added. For more information on children's dental health, visit www.ada.org or contact the Dental Health Clinic at (325)654-3050.
