Coronavirus impacts are serious, affecting our health, economy, schools, and social interactions. But our unsung heroes haven’t missed a beat, rising above the fear and uncertainty to do their jobs for us. Child care professionals are the front-line essential workers entrusted with the most sacred job of all: caring for our children...including oral health. We see–and celebrate– your commitment, your selflessness, and your energy in the service of families.
To support you in your day-to-day efforts, the North Carolina Oral Health Section has developed guidance for child care facilities so you can advise parents on the latest evidence-based information on how to care for little teeth during the pandemic. This Guidance includes:
- An adult should brush the teeth of children under age three with a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice two times a day.
- Children age three and older can brush their own teeth twice daily, with assistance from an adult. Remember, it’s a pea-sized dot of fluoride toothpaste for older children.
- Encourage families to eat healthy foods that are low in sugar and to drink fluoridated water.
- Remind the parents in your program that it is safe for families to visit a dentist for preventive and necessary treatment, with proper precautions.
Thanks for the good work you are doing every day for the families in your care! Want to do an even better job? For free training on best practices for early childhood oral health, contact Emily Horney, Early Childhood Oral Health Coordinator for the North Carolina Division of Public Health, Oral Health Section: (919) 707-5487, Emily.Horney@dhhs.nc.gov. There are both virtual and in-person training opportunities.
Click here to have an opportunity to download the full Guidance, as well as other handy tools on the Resources page, including in Spanish!
