Grades: preschool to 1Grades: preschool to 1

Happy Healthy Teeth -Happy Healthy Teeth - A Story About Leo The Lion A Story About Leo The Lion

Why do we need our teeth?Why do we need our teeth?

Eating:Eating:

To chew our food. That’s To chew our food. That’s an easy one! Can you an easy one! Can you imagine trying to eat an imagine trying to eat an apple, carrot or a apple, carrot or a hamburger without teeth? hamburger without teeth?

It would be pretty hard, It would be pretty hard, wouldn’t it?wouldn’t it?

Why do we need our teeth?Why do we need our teeth?

TalkingTalkingIf we didn’t have teeth, we If we didn’t have teeth, we wouldn’t have any place to wouldn’t have any place to put our lips and tongue when put our lips and tongue when we try to make words.we try to make words.Some of you may be missing Some of you may be missing your two front teeth now and your two front teeth now and you know how hard it is to you know how hard it is to make an “s” or “th” sound!make an “s” or “th” sound!

Why do we need our teeth?Why do we need our teeth?

SmilingSmilingSmiling makes us look Smiling makes us look good and feel good!good and feel good!

Why are your baby teeth Why are your baby teeth important?important?

They are SPACE They are SPACE SAVERS; like saving SAVERS; like saving your friend a seat at your friend a seat at the movies!the movies!

How many teeth do you have How many teeth do you have to keep healthy? Let’s count to keep healthy? Let’s count them together…them together…

Kids your age will have 20 teeth by now. When you get Kids your age will have 20 teeth by now. When you get older like your Mom & Dad- you will lose your baby older like your Mom & Dad- you will lose your baby teeth and get 32 permanent teeth. Wow! That’s a lot of teeth and get 32 permanent teeth. Wow! That’s a lot of teeth to brush!teeth to brush!

Now let’s read a story about Leo Now let’s read a story about Leo the Lion…the Lion…

Leo the LionLeo the LionKing of the JungleKing of the Jungle

Away in the jungle, far off in the East, lives Leo the Lion, the king of the beasts.

The king of the beasts?

Why that’s really not true.

He’s just a sad, old lion,and a grumpy one too!

Once long, long ago, many years or more, this lord of the jungle would growl and he’d roar.

He’d frighten the beasts, and the birds on the trees, but really he did it, only to tease.

A happier lion you could never find, with a smile on his face and fun on his mind. He was big, he was rough, and his laugh was a roar that could be heard through the jungle, for ten miles or more.

He was king of the jungle and a happy, proud fellow.

Why doesn’t he smile?

Why is his temper so bad?

Why is it that he isn’t king any more?

Why is it that he doesn’t laugh with a roar?

Then why is it now that the king is so sad?

I’ll tell you the reason, now please don’t forget, that Leo the Lion could still be king yet.

He could rollick and frolic, he could tease, he could smile.

He could laugh with a roar that could be heard for a mile.

He could frighten thebirds in the trees andthe beasts down beneath…

But Leo Lion has lost all his teeth!!!

Lost all his teeth??? What a sad fate for a king.

Not to be able to smile or to sing.

Not to be able to laugh or to

roar, and not to be king or to rule anymore.

For who’d be afraid of a toothless old beast, who’d have to eat oatmeal when he wanted a feast?

And who would bow down if a king couldn’t bite, and only dared roar in the dark of the night?

Why, no one you see. So Leo the Lion lives unhappily.

The loss of his teeth, though it seems not quite fair, if he’d been a wise lion, they would still be there.

Leo the Lion simply loved to eat candy.

He didn’t like his carrots but thought pie was just dandy.

He’d fill up on cake and drink lotsof pop too!

And when it came to mealtime,he’d be too full to chew.

He’d play with his plate, just pretending to eat, and leave all of his salad and spinach and meat.

Now to make matters worse, he was in such a rush to get into his bed, that he just didn’t brush!

So day after day, and night after night, his teeth just got yellowier instead of snow white.

Then into his mouth sneaked Mr. Decay, who’d softened his teeth, until they just melted away.

Now the pain of a hole inyour tooth can be sad.And the loss of theirteeth would make anyonecrabby and mad.

So to save all your teeth, and to keep your smile bright, remember Leo the Lion… and brush every night!

Don’t drink lots of pop, or eat candy and cake. Visit your dentist before you get an ache.

Brush after each meal and before sleeping at night. If a tooth is to stay healthy, it must be kept white.

Don’t lose your brightsmile and be sorry andsad. Just brush and eathealthy to keep yourteeth and be glad!

What happened to Leo’s teeth? What happened to Leo’s teeth? Why did they fall out?Why did they fall out?

Here’s what Leo could have done to keep Here’s what Leo could have done to keep his teeth from falling out…his teeth from falling out…

• Brush his teeth to remove plaqueBrush his teeth to remove plaque..

What is plaque?What is plaque?• It is a sticky film of bacteria that is It is a sticky film of bacteria that is

always growing on your teeth.always growing on your teeth.• It is filled with millions and millions of It is filled with millions and millions of

decay germs.decay germs.• Decay germs cause cavities in your teeth.Decay germs cause cavities in your teeth.

When should you brush When should you brush your teeth?your teeth?

• After eatingAfter eating

• At bedtimeAt bedtime

What else could Leo have done to keep What else could Leo have done to keep his teeth?his teeth?

Eat better foods!Eat better foods!Plaque + Sugary Foods = DecayPlaque + Sugary Foods = Decay

+ =

Healthy SnacksHealthy Snacks

Unhealthy SnacksUnhealthy Snacks

A Visit to the DentistA Visit to the DentistYour Dentist is a friendly doctor who will help your teeth stay healthy Your Dentist is a friendly doctor who will help your teeth stay healthy and strongand strong

• The Dentist will check your teeth with a “feeler” tool and mirrorThe Dentist will check your teeth with a “feeler” tool and mirror

• Someone on the dental team might shine up your teeth with special Someone on the dental team might shine up your teeth with special tools and cleanerstools and cleaners • The Dentist will check your mouth for many things- can you name The Dentist will check your mouth for many things- can you name some of the things he is looking for? some of the things he is looking for?

Can you remember why we Can you remember why we need our teeth?need our teeth?

Our teeth are important becauseOur teeth are important becausethey help us talk properly, they help us talk properly, chew our food and give us chew our food and give us beautiful smiles!beautiful smiles!

What can we do to have What can we do to have healthy teeth?healthy teeth?

• BrushBrush• Eat good foodsEat good foods• Visit your Visit your

DentistDentist

For more information on oral health see the For more information on oral health see the Nova Scotia Dental Association Nova Scotia Dental Association WebsiteWebsite

www.healthyteeth.orgwww.healthyteeth.org

This presentation has been adapted and used with permission from theDental Health Program developed by the Clay County Public Health Center.

Remember, your teeth are a special Remember, your teeth are a special part of your body and help you part of your body and help you

eat, talk and smile. eat, talk and smile. Thank you for listeningThank you for listening

and keep brushing!and keep brushing!