Mount Sinai: Big Smiles for Oral Health Campaign
Excerpt from the Article:
There were smiles all around as dentists, dental students and persons with special needs met and mingled in Oakville on March 28. They were brought together by The Sharing Smiles Day, presented by the Oral Health, Total Health Campaign, led by faculty and students from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto (U of T), in association with Mount Sinai Hospital’s Dental Clinic for Persons with Special Needs.
According to Campaign Chair, Ali Sigal, a student in U of T’s dental faculty, Sharing Smiles was created to break down barriers between people with special needs and dental health professionals, and to communicate the importance of good oral health amongst this population. The event featured games and face painting, a free luncheon and interactive demonstrations on proper oral care.
‘The day went so well,’ said Ali. ‘A lot of the dental students had never interacted with a person with special needs before, and at first they were a little unsure, but their transformation to seeing the participants as people, as friends, was incredible…
Oral Health, Total Health.
With your generosity,
we can
make a difference.
Did You Know?
-
To ensure proper oral hygiene,
try brushing your teeth
how they grow:
FROM the gum line,
and onto the teeth. -
The gum line is the area most missed when brushing;
coincidently it is
of importance for
one’s oral health. -
The most important
time to brush your
teeth is before
you go to bed. -
You can boil a rubber door stop and try using it as a mouth prop to assist in brushing the
teeth of individuals
who may not be
willing to open
their mouths. -
Use a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste when brushing, it is okay
if this small amount
is swallowed. -
When brushing the teeth of a person with special needs, if possible, have the
individual sit so
you can stand
behind them. -
The oral cavity plays a prominent role in an individual’s quality of life as it pertains to communication, nutrition, emotional expression, taste, social appearance and self-esteem
-
Increasing numbers of people with mental retardation no longer live in institutions, and
are dependent on
dentists in
private practice
for care. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities have greater levels of
periodontal
disease. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities present with a poorer state
of oral hygiene. -
In Ontario, with over 12 million residents; approximately
1.85 million people
have a disability. -
In Canada in 2006, 14.3% of the population had a disability representing
4.4 million people.
