With dental caries (cavities) as the most common chronic disease of children, Genesee County healthcare leaders and dentists are working together to provide information to educate parents and the community on children’s oral health issues. To conclude February’s Children’s Oral Health Month activities and remind families that children’s oral health is important every day, the Greater Flint Health Coalition’s Children’s Oral Health Task Force is offering free Children’s Oral Health Wheels to the community. The Children’s Oral Health Wheel is an interactive education tool for parents and caregivers that teaches parents the best oral health habits for every stage of a child’s development from birth through five years of age. The Oral Health Wheels are a product of the “Baby Those Baby Teeth!” campaign, started in 2005. To date, over 83,000 wheels have been distributed to parents and caregivers via healthcare providers and dentist partners of the Greater Flint Health Coalition.
Caring for your child’s baby teeth is important, as baby teeth are needed for chewing, speaking and holding spaces for adult teeth. Baby teeth are vulnerable to tooth decay from the first appearance, so prevention is key. The Children’s Oral Health Wheel informs families of the simple steps to take to keep their children cavity-free.
Children’s Oral Health Wheels are free for Genesee County residents and healthcare providers and may be ordered by contacting the Greater Flint Health Coalition at 810-232-2228 or gfhc@flint.org. An interactive Children’s Oral Health Wheel can be viewed online at www.gfhc.org. The Wheels are available in both English and Spanish.