I learned something about myself this week…..I can not function when I have a toothache!
It turns out my little cavity was too close to a nerve and now I need a root canal. The good news is that my insurance will pay for it and my sweet dentist hooked me up with some prescription medicine. But, as I sat around this week moaning and groaning I begin to think…what would I do if I could not afford to fix this tooth??? That got me thinking about many of the children we mentor….how can they learn if their mouths are hurting? An article in a dental journal says this, “Income inequalities remain an ongoing concern for children’s oral health. Children living in poverty suffer twice as much tooth decay as their more affluent peers, and their decay is more likely to go untreated.” Mentors, we may not be able to fix all of the inequalities or change the federal government so children receive more help in the area of oral heath, but we can help! Why not put an extra toothbrush with toothpaste in your mentoring bag. Teach your child how to brush and give them some time to practice each week. Send them home with a chart and another brush so they can keep track at home. Check out http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/oralhygienecharts.htm for a chart that you can use. Teach them to keep those teeth healthy, because when your mouth hurts it is hard to sleep- it is hard to eat- it is hard to learn. A healthy mouth is a happy mouth!