Lesson Plan Overview    Lesson One: Plaque Busters    Lesson Two: A Little Flossing    Goes a Long Way    Lesson Three: Teeth at Work    Lesson Four: Destructive Decay    Lesson Five: Flouride Power    History of the Toothbrush      Handouts			Our objective is to help primary school teachers give children an understanding of the importance of good dental health care by integrating the information in these lesson plans into standards-based science, health, math and language arts curriculum. To help you deliver these lessons and prepare yourself for student questions, we provide the following background information for your dental health unit. Background Dental Information: Between the ages of 6 months and around 3 years, the 20 primary or "baby" teeth erupt. The primary teeth are replaced by 32 permanent teeth. The first 28 erupt between 6 and 13 years, the final 4 third molars, or "wisdom teeth" may erupt between 16-21 years. Digestion of food begins in the mouth. The teeth cut up and grind the food, and the saliva begins to break it down. We use our tongues to move the food around in our mouths to chew it properly. Teeth are designed for specific tasks:   · Incisors and canines tear, cut and bite.   · Bicuspids and molars grind and crush.   Enamel, the outer layer of teeth, is the hardest material of the human body. Plaque is a sticky film of bacterial that constantly forms on teeth. The bacteria release acids, which can weaken the enamel and lead to cavities. Fluoride, a natural element, helps to harden enamel and make it less susceptible to decay, or cavities. Children need only use a pea-sized dab of toothpaste on their brush, and should spit out excess toothpaste during and after brushing, to avoid swallowing too much fluoride. In addition to helping us eat food, healthy teeth play an important role in our appearance and our ability to speak clearly. In order to have healthy teeth and gums, we need to do three things:   1. Brush and floss our teeth everyday. Brush after meals and floss before bed.   2. Eat a good diet and avoid frequent sugary snacks. Sweet sticky foods, like gumdrops, are especially bad for teeth because they stick to the teeth and promote decay.   3. Visit the dentist twice a year. A dentist or hygienist can remove the plaque build-up and tartar, check for cavities and ensure that your whole mouth is healthy. Dentists recommend that you replace your toothbrush at least every 3 months. Research shows that a worn toothbrush is less effective at cleaning than a new one.   Key Vocabulary:   Cavity - a hole, or decay, in the tooth caused by acids produced by plaque and food debris.   Crown - the part of the tooth above the gum line covered with enamel.   Cusp - the point on a tooth.   Enamel - the outer layer of the tooth above the gum line and the hardest material in the human body.   Floss - a special thread-like cleaning product used to remove plaque and food debris from between teeth and under the gum line.   Fluoride - a natural mineral that helps prevent decay, which is added to drinking water, toothpaste, mouth rinse and other dental products.   Gingiva (Gums) - the fleshy tissue that surrounds the teeth.   Plaque - a soft, sticky film made up of bacteria (germs) and salivary proteins that coats tooth surfaces and can lead to decay and gum disease.   Saliva - the tasteless liquid mixture produced by the salivary glands and used to moisten the mouth and digest food.   Tartar - the hard yellow or white build-up that forms on teeth if plaque is not removed daily. Only a dentist or hygienist can remover tartar once formed. In order to print them you must use Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Adobe™ Acrobat Reader, it's available for free.