Oral Health Promotion          

Oral Health Promotion is a Program Strategy that Works! and nonprofit organizations play a significant role.  "Community organizations are essential to promoting oral health, especially in low-income areas, where the need is greatest.  For example, nonprofit organizations can educate schools, health grantmakers, dental produce manufacturers, the media, and others to educate residents of all ages about the importance of oral health and the most effective ways to maintain it," (Partnership for Prevention, 2001).

Oral Disease

• Affects nearly EVERYONE at some point in their life
• Exists at ALL ages
• Two leading oral diseases: Dental Caries (tooth decay or cavities) and periodontal disease
• Major Symptoms: Pain, suffering and tooth loss
• Oral facial pain is a major source of diminshed quality of life
• Oral diseases are progressive, meaning they become more severe and more expensive to treat over time
• Disparities: Poor children, the elderly and minorities
• "The most profound disparities exist by income with poor children, who suffer twice as many caries and more likely to go untreated," (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2000).
• "In developing countries, health problems related to tooth loss and impaired oral function are expected to increase," (Petersen et al, 2005).

Oral health is inseperable to general health!  It affects one's self-esteem and quality of life.  More specifically, it affects how we communicate, our ability to eat, our choice of foods, our social interactions at school and work, and how we sleep. To increase the quality of life of our participants and address the need for oral health promotion programs for impoverished populations, Over the Rainbow has developed a 'Sorrisos Saudaveis' (Healthy Smiles) Oral Health Promotion Program. The written program consists of 50 pages of research and an additional 50-page resource guide for in the field.

Program Goal (Sorrisos Saudaveis): To reduce dental caries and oral diseases in impoverished populations served by Over the Rainbow Health & Education Services.

First Programs: Salvador, Brazil

**Phase I (Ongoing)

• Promotion activities in orphanages, favelas, neighborhoods and our community-based center
• Training and enabling local support and management systems

**Phase II

• Continuation and expansion of promotion activities
• Continuation and expansion of trainings for local support and management systems
• Outreach Mission for professionals, faculty and students of dentistry and dental hygiene      

                View or download our mission presentation!

Program Strategies (Sorrisos Saudaveis):

• Drama
• Demonstrations
• Distribution of Self-Care Items
• Guided Practice
• Arts and Crafts
• Games, Songs & Activities
• Field Trips
• Outreach & Missions: Mission scheduled for summer 2008!
• Connecting and Supporting Health Services
• Training & Enabling Local Leaders
• Empowering

Free Online Resources for Oral Health Promotion! Check out the following links for lots of great activities and ideas for promoting oral health in your family and community.

Dental Health Websites for Teachers & Students

Cumberland County AVA Center  www.cumbavac.org/Dental_Health.htm

Printable Coloring Sheets

Apples4Teachers  www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/dental-health/index.html

Arts and Crafts

DLTK's Growing Together www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/miscellaneous/dental_health_month.htm

Classroom Ideas and Resources from the American Dental Association

www.ada.org/public/education/teachers/ideas.asp

Experiments and Activities

Teaching Heart  www.teachingheart.net/teeth.html

Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures Education Information and Activities

www.colgate.com/app/BrightSmilesBrightFutures/US/EN/OHE/HomePage.cvsp

Additional Oral Health Promotion Resources from About.com

dentistry.about.com/od/dentalactivitiesandgames/Dental_Activities_

Coloring_Pages_Fun_Facts_Crafts_and_Games_for_Kid.htm

References

Partnership for Prevention. (2001, May). Priorities in prevention: Oral health-Common and preventable ailments. Washington, DC. Partnership for Prevention. Retrieved  September 12, 2007, from http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/uploaded_files/Oral_Health_-_Common_and_Preventable_Ailments.pdf

Petersen, P.E., Bourgeois, D., Ogawa, H., Estupinan-Day, S., & Ndiaye, C. (2005). “The global burden of oral diseases and risks to oral health.” Bulletin of the World  Health Organization 83.9 (Sept 2005): 661(9).

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2000) Oral health in America: A report of the surgeon general – executive summary. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Institutes of Health.