How do we educate youth about oral health?

Good oral hygiene is essential to maintain good health. That’s why it’s important to raise awareness among the youngest people as early as possible. The objective? To limit the risks for the future and to understand the stakes of a bad dental hygiene.

How can we raise awareness?

• Through the school setting: from kindergarten and primary school, a large number of schools set up interventions with certified specialists or organizations. Organized in 30-minute to 1-hour sessions, this time is devoted to warnings, demonstrations (interactive workshops) and possible questions.
• By creating kits: several brands have launched educational kits adapted to the youngest. This allows them to learn in a simple and fun way, the good gestures to adopt on a daily basis. These kits are mainly distributed by schools or by dentists who have been trained to do so. They include: a toothbrush, an hourglass, a cup and a tube of toothpaste.
• By advertising: whether it is in digital or physical format, awareness of a subject is often raised through advertising. Why? It’s a simple way to reach a wider audience. Not only children need to be made aware, but also parents, who are responsible for good hygiene and routine.
• By the Health Insurance: since 2019 the Health Insurance encourages parents to consult a dentist for their children as soon as they reach the age of 3, through a letter. This first appointment, covered by the third-party payer, allows to anticipate possible future complications. Moreover, it allows them to become familiar with a dentist, which is often a barrier that must be removed as soon as possible.

In short, it is important not to underestimate a good oral routine. Prevention exists in order to avoid more serious and costly consultations. It is at a young age that we learn the good gestures and habits to adopt, so that we can maintain them in the future.