Your Teeth & Their Care

HEALTH EDUCATION - Lesson 4 - Week 4/10

Growing Up Healthy (4)

HPE Lesson Plans - Health - KHE, 1HE, 2HE, 3HE, 4HE, 5HE

Safety | Mental, Social & Emotional Health | Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention | Growing Up Healthy

4TH GRADE VIRTUAL HEALTH

L1: You Are Growing Cell by Cell| L2: Your Brain & Nervous System: The Control Center for Growth | L3: Your Skin & Its Care | L4: Your Teeth & Their Care | L5: Your Vision & Hearing | L6: Your Posture| L7: Your Physical Fitness | L8: Nutrients & Your Digestive System | L9: Food and the Nutrients It Contains | L10: Using MyPlate | EXTRA: Understanding a Food Label | EXTRA: Preparing Food Safely

Growing Up Healthy

Your Teeth & Their Care

See below for the following:

Standard(s), Essential Question(s), Big Idea(s)


LEARNING TARGET / SUCCESS CRITERIA

I will know and describe tooth and gum problems and explain how to prevent them.

I will know, describe, and demonstrate how to brush and floss correctly.

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PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY

Vocabulary

plaque - a sticky natural material, partially made up of bacteria, that sticks to your teeth

cavities - holes in the outer surfaces of your teeth caused by bacteria in plaque breaking down sugars in food and forming acids / the acids can make holes in the outer surfaces of the teeth

decay - happens when things rot / if a decaying tooth is not treated in time, the tooth can die

fluoride - a mineral that helps prevent cavities


OPENING (Engage)

Main Idea

Taking care of your teeth and gums is important for your health.

Why Learn This?

Knowing about your teeth and gums will help you make good choices about caring for them.


WORK PERIOD (Explore/Explain/Extend/Elaborate)

READ: Your Teeth & Their Care


Here's a riddle. You talk with them. You eat with them. They are small, sharp, and white. Can you guess what they are? They are your teeth. Caring for your teeth helps you stay healthy and look your best. If you take care of your teeth, they will last your whole life.


What causes tooth and gum problems?


You use your teeth to chew food. Chewing is one of their main functions. However, the food you chew can also cause problems for your teeth. Leftover bits of food and bacteria can stick to your teeth. The bacteria are part of a sticky natural material called plaque.


Bacteria in plaque break down sugars in food and form acids. The acids can make holes called cavities (KA-vuh-teez) in the outer surfaces of your teeth. Cavities can grow and grow. They sometimes reach deep inside a tooth and cause pain. The process of forming cavities is called tooth decay. Decay (dih-KAY) happens when things rot. If a decaying tooth is not treated in time, it can die.


Many people have tooth decay problems because plaque is constantly forming in the mouth. Clinging to teeth, plaque's bacteria go to work on food that remains in the mouth. Sticky, starchy, or sugary foods-such as candy, chewing gum, and even raisins-can mean trouble. Frequent snacking on these types of foods keeps sugar in the mouth all the time. As bacteria break down the sugars, the teeth come under constant attack from acids.


If left on teeth, plaque hardens. Hardened plaque is called tartar. Tartar rubs against the gums and can make them bleed. It can lead to an infection that destroys the bone holding teeth in place. With serious gum disease even healthy teeth can fall out.


Fortunately, preventing dental problems is easy. One way to prevent decay is to avoid sugary and story snacks. Brushing your teeth or at least rinsing your mouth with water after you eat such foods is a good idea. You need to brush twice a day and floss once a day to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

How can you prevent tooth and gum problems?


Proper flossing and brushing help prevent tooth and gum problems. To floss, cut off about 18 inches of dental floss. Wind the floss around your two middle fingers, with most of it around the middle finger of one hand. Leave 2 to 3 inches of floss stretched between your fingers. Insert the floss between two teeth. Gently raise and lower the floss, moving it back and forth against one tooth to scrape away plaque.


At the gum line, curve the floss around the lower part of one side of the tooth. Rub the floss against the lower edge of that tooth. Do the same to the other tooth. Gently remove the floss. Unwind a clean section for the next pair of teeth. Continue until you have flossed all your teeth, including the far edges of your back teeth.


When you brush, use a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride (FLAWR-yd) is a mineral that helps prevent cavities. Brush all the surfaces of your teeth. Brush the fronts and sides with gentle circular strokes. Be sure to brush the chewing surfaces of your back teeth thoroughly. Plaque can build up in the pits of these teeth, so take extra time brushing them.


Don't forget to brush the inner surfaces of all your teeth. You will have to turn your toothbrush different ways to clean these surfaces well. When you've finished brushing, rinse your mouth with water. Rinsing removes the food and plaque you loosened by brushing.


Flossing and brushing aren't the only ways to prevent problems with teeth and gums. You also need to choose healthful snacks, Milk products and fruits help build strong teeth and are a good choice if you can brush your teeth soon after eating. Crunchy vegetables are the best choice if you can't brush right away.


Visiting a dentist twice a year is another important way to prevent tooth and gum problems. The dentist or a dental hygienist will remove tartar and check for cavities and signs of gum disease. The dentist may coat your teeth with extra fluoride to strengthen them or apply dental sealants to back teeth to keep cavities from growing on chewing surfaces. Your dentist will work with you to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.


How can you choose dental care products?


The next time you visit a grocery store, look for tooth-paste. How many different kinds can you find? When you choose a toothpaste, look for the word fluoride on the label. Or, look for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. Any toothpaste with this seal has fluoride. Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance.


Some toothpastes have a chemical that can kill some bacteria in your mouth. But the chemical doesn't replace daily flossing. You need to floss daily to reach the spaces between your teeth.


You can buy dental floss that is waxed or unwaxed. Waxed floss may be easier to use if your teeth are very close together. You can also buy flavored or plain floss.



CAREER - Dental Hygienist 

What They Do

Dental hygienists work in dentists' offices, hospitals, and clinics. They help prevent tooth decay and gum disease by scraping tartar from your teeth and below the gum line.

They also polish your teeth to make them smooth. Sometimes hygienists take X rays and apply fluoride and dental sealants. An important part of their job is teaching patients how to care for their teeth and gums.


Education and Training 

Hygienists must complete a dental hygiene program at an accredited school. Some programs require one or two years of college first. To obtain a license to practice, a hygienist has to pass national and state exams.



Toothbrushes come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles. It will remove plaque without hurting your gums. Look for the ADA Seal on toothbrushes and dental floss. You can also ask your parents, dentist, or dental hygienist to help you choose a good toothpaste, dental floss, or toothbrush. A dentist or dental hygienist can show you how to use these tools to take good care of your teeth.



REMEMBER...Taking care of your teeth and gums is important for your health. Knowing about your teeth and gums will help you make good choices about caring for them.


CLOSING (Evaluate)


Standard(s)

HE4.1a - recognize the relationship between healthy behavior and disease prevention

HE4.3a - identify the characteristics of valid health information, products, and services

HE4.3b - list resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information

HE4.5b - describe the possible consequences of an unhealthy decision and healthy alternatives when making a health-related decision


Essential Question(s)


Big Idea(s)


RESOURCES / INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS


DCSD Board-Approved Instruction Materials


Technology