October is National Dental Hygiene Month

Public Health Dental Hygienists, Janet Berry and Sharrie Hotchkiss are on a mission to help prevent cavities and tooth decay. 

While appearing on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program, Hotchkiss and Berry informed listeners that tooth decay is the most prominent disease in children that is preventable.

The pair promote brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing – at the very least – once a day and using a toothpaste that contains fluoride. 

October is National Dental Hygiene Month. This month was chosen to promote good practices in dental hygiene for obvious reasons, the incredible amount of candy that will be brought into Sheridan homes. The Sheridan Public Health hygienists will be visiting schools in the county, handing out books, toothbrushes, floss and speaking to kids on the importance of taking care of those chompers. Berry and Hotchkiss want children to enjoy their holiday treats, just remember to brush after eating them. 

According to Berry, dental hygiene and developing good dental hygiene practices should begin as soon as the first tooth arrives and parents should be assisting their children to ensure their teeth are getting proper care until around age 6 or 7 years. 

For more on developing good dental hygiene practices with kids, click here.