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Batool Mahmud

DENH 412
4-27-15
Community Service Project
Introduction:
Public health is the health of the population as a whole, especially as
monitored, regulated, and promoted by the state 1. For our project we were to
identify a community educational service program site. My group members
consisted of Ali Surine, Lindsay King and Joslyn Vaccarro. The place that we
decided that needed our services was at St. Marys Catholic School, which is
located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We came across this specific location due to
Ali since she knows someone who works for the church. The need to help this
specific group was children since children are often candidates of eating
unhealthy and in-proper oral health care. Parents sometimes may not find the
time to help their children, and children may not be brushing as they say so.
Children are not educated on proper brushing and flossing and it is our job to
help them understand the importance.
We were able to make two different trips to the school, breaking into two
pairs. Ali Surine and Lindsay King visited the kindergarteners on March 23 rd from
8:00am-9: 30am, and then Joslyn and myself made a trip to the school on March
24th from 8:00am-9: 30am. The target population that we attended to was
children aged three to five years old. The theory used to support education

approach and outcomes toward this population group were children have short
attention spans. Quick, fun, entertaining classrooms exercises that educate
children on brushing and flossing is what our agenda was in the way we would
educate the children. Sets of questions were created that both groups would ask
the children. These set of questions were the objectives going into the
community service, which the students will understand upon completion.
Questions:
1. Have you ever been to the dentist?
2. How many times a day do you brush?
3. How many minutes do you brush?
4. Does anyone help you brush?
5. Can you name some foods that are good for your teeth?
6. Can you name some foods that are bad for your teeth?
7. Do you know what sugar bugs are?
8. How do we keep sugar bugs away?
During the first visit with the children, Ali and Lindsay asked the questions
listed above to the children. Approximately half of the children knew the answers
while the other half did not. The way we knew if the children understood was by
taking into account how many children raised their hands for certain questions
along with the answer they responded with. During this visit, Ali and Lindsay also
emphasized the importance of brushing for two minutes. They took hard boiled
eggs to the classroom that had been boiled with tea bags. The tea bags were
used in order to stain the eggs. Once the children were given hard-boiled eggs

and toothbrushes, instructions to remove the stain were given. Since the task
was quiet difficult, they reiterated that brushing for two minutes was extremely
important! They stressed the importance that if the children were to not brush
their teeth, they would eventually become brown and yucky just as the hardboiled egg.
Upon arriving at the school with Joslyn, we went to the classroom to set
up while the children were doing prayer before the class. As the kids came in, we
sat around on the carpet and introduced ourselves. We asked the children basic
questions during this time until all of the children were present. I was given a
toothbrush costume to wear and upon arriving into the classroom, many
comments were made about what I was wearing. All of the children knew I was a
toothbrush and from that we were able to keep the questions rolling. Many
children stated that they have been to the dentist before and that some of their
family members have had fake teeth placed.
Oral Hygiene Instructions:
Since children do not always have the longest attention span, our goal
was to get into the classroom and teach while they are still entertained by Joslyn
and myself. We were able to check out some tools that could be used to educate
the children. One item that we used was a puppet and a big toothbrush. We
asked the children if they knew what the proper way to brush was and most
children stated that they should brush fast. We explained that brushing faster
does not necessarily mean they are brushing well. Demonstration on the puppet
was done with the toothbrush and those children, who wanted to try, had the

opportunity to do so. Their parents should brush childrens teeth until the child is
of six or seven years of age 2. The amount of toothpaste recommended by both
the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics say
only a grain of rice should be used until the child is three 2. After the age of three,
a pea size amount of toothpaste can be used 2.
Nutritional Counseling:
After the oral hygiene instructions were given, nutritional counseling is
what Joslyn and I focused on. Before leaving the School of Dentistry, we were
able to check out a nutritional game for the students. Most of the children had an
idea of what healthy and bad foods were for their teeth. When asked if chocolate
was bad for our teeth, the children answered unanimously that it was. One by
one, the children came up to the board we were using for the bad food/good food
game to see if the food magnet they had in their hand would stick to the board or
fall off. Anything that would stick to the board was called a sugar bug,
eventually leading to cavities and decay. Anything that did not stick to the teeth
was considered a good food item.
Avoiding sticky foods such as jellybeans, caramel, oatmeal or peanut
butter cookies is important since it makes difficult for saliva to wash away these
food items on the tooth surface 3. Most of the children in the classroom stated
that they loved eating the sugary snacks their parents provided for them. We
discussed with the teacher along with the children that it is best to eat the snacks
with a meal instead of eating it alone 3. It is important to give children snacks,
which consist of fruits and vegetables verses carbohydrates 3.

Results:
Since Joslyn and I visited the second day, some of the children
remembered questions that the other group members had gone over the day
before. Majority of the kids in my opinion were very smart for their age. The
children knew all the answers to the questions that were asked and asked us
questions on top of what we asked. I remember one of the children saying, what
type of toothbrush I use? and our answer was to use soft bristles. Joslyn and
myself asked the same questions towards the children since we used it as a
posttest. We all came to a conclusion that the population was too young to
provide a physical posttest. Due to their age, the children were unable to read
and write on their own.
Once the questions and nutritional gaming were completed, we ended the
session with providing goodie bags, which contained toothpaste for the children,
pediatric toothbrushes and floss for the class. Coloring pages were also handed
to the teacher along with information of what we covered for the children to take
home to show their parents. Each group member did her fair share and was a
positive being during the community service.

Works Cited
1. Nutrition and Your Childs Teeth. (2015). Retreived 21 April 2015,
from www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/nutrition-childs-teeth
2. Brushing and Flossing Childrens Teeth. (2015). Retreieved 20 April 2015,
from www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/brushing-flossing-child-teeth
3. Public Health. (2010, December 6). Retrieved 20 April 2015,
from http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story076/en/

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