Dental Health Care
Invitation –How can you engage students and stress importance of proper dental health care? Dental Health Care: A healthy mouth is a happy mouth. Through this unit, students will learn the importance of keeping teeth clean, and what happens to the mouth and body if dental health is not properly maintained.
Unit Details
Subject: Health, Science
Level: Middle School Special Ed.
Author: Darci Winthers
Submitted by: Darci Winthers
Standards:
South Dakota K-12 Health Education Standards
STANDARD/GOAL ONE
Students will understand health promotion and disease prevention concepts and practices.
STANDARD/GOAL TWO:
Students will access and evaluate health information, products, and services.
STANDARD/GOAL THREE:
Students will understand the benefits of practicing health-enhancing behaviors that reduce health risks.
Situation: This unit will require 5 days, 30-40 minutes. The majority of this unit will be done in the classroom. Field trip may require a longer period of time.
Tasks:
The students will actively participate and engage in the following activities:
Day 1: Make an impression of teeth. Prepare alginate and plaster paris. Pour alginate into impression tray, take impression, pour in plaster paris, let set, remove alginate from plaster model. Observe types of bites, sizes and positioning of teeth.
Day 2: Learn the proper technique for brushing teeth. To stress the importance of brushing teeth, soak several hardboiled eggs in a solution of dark cola or tea over night. Eggs should stain brown. Hand out toothbrushes and toothpaste. Have students try to clean the egg. Compare and discuss results. Demonstrate brushing; obtain large model of teeth and toothbrush, demonstrate to students the proper technique of brushing and flossing. Students practice and show proper technique.
Learn the proper technique for flossing teeth. Teacher will demonstrate proper technique, with student follow up.
Day 3: Observe x-rays. Obtain x-rays from local dentist, observe and discuss.
Food Sampling. Observe effects of foods on teeth, healthy foods vs. foods that stick to the teeth. Provide small samples of apples, carrots, celery and compare with samples of Cheetos, caramels, and gummy bears. Sample each then discuss effects.
Day 4: Learn parts of the tooth and mouth, number the teeth in the mouth, and observe cross-sections of the tooth. Using prepared models, identify four basic types of teeth: molars, premolars, incisors and canines. Identify the parts of the mouth. Create a model or poster of a tooth labeling the parts: root, enamel, pulp, nerve, etc. Students can compare similarities and differences between the various types of teeth.
Day 5: Field trip to a local dental office. Discuss.
Students can create their own pamphlet using the computer on the importance of proper dental health care and why. Share with each other.
Interactions:
Students will work individually or in small groups.
Assessment:
Reporting of data – oral
Teacher observation
Student participation
Test – parts of tooth and mouth, brushing and flossing techniques.
Prerequisites for beginning unit:
Parental permission slips for classroom activities and field trips
Contact local dental office to arrange tour.
Contact local dental office to order supplies listed.
Tools: The following materials are needed to complete this unit:
Permission slip for all activities
Alginate
Disposable Impression Trays
Plaster Paris
Spatulas
Mixing Bowls
Water containers/water
Plastic or latex gloves
Mirrors
Dental mirrors
Towels or paper towels
Discarded x-rays from local dental or medical office
Model of teeth
Poster board, paper, colored pencils, crayons or markers
Eggs
Cola
Toothbrushes
Various brands of toothpastes
Samples of various foods
URL Resources:
Web sites: