Even though this article first appeared on our website in 2017, some things never change: with beautiful summer weather comes the opportunity for little ones to have even more fun outside. This story tells you and parents how to make it safe!
Did you know that 33% of five-year-old children have hurt their baby teeth? As young children learn to walk and play, they are more likely to experience teeth and mouth injuries. That’s why it’s important to keep child care facilities safe and develop smart habits to prevent accidents and protect children’s smiles.
According to the National Center on Health, Brush Up on Oral Health, child care staff and parents can protect children by:
- Performing safety checks of areas where children play: look at playground equipment for age-appropriateness, remove tripping hazards, use safety gates, and cover sharp corners on furniture.
- Listing steps to follow to prevent injuries and to effectively and quickly handle them when they happen: ask people in the know (health advisory committee members, parents, child safety experts, and others) to support your safety program with good ideas and advice.
- Documenting all injuries: keep a log and review it to help identify patterns and determine where changes are needed. Always inform parents when an injury occurs.
- Educating staff, parents, and children: trainings, meetings, newsletters, and social media may all be used to prevent oral injuries. Feel free to share with the parents in your program the handy, printable chart on how to prevent and handle a dental injury (pages 44-45) from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Use these strategies to make a difference in the oral health of the little ones in your care!
