Oral Health Education

Literature

Free literature for use in Missouri can be ordered by completing the following form:

All DHSS Office of Dental Health literature below can be downloaded and printed for public use with no copy restrictions:

Oral Health Literature All Ages - English

Oral Health Literature All Ages - Other Languages

Spanish
Bosnian
Dari
French (African)
Hmong
Karen
Pashto
Romanian

Pregnancy & Oral Health Literature - English & Other Languages

Dental Sealants Literature - English & Spanish

Fluoride Literature - English & Spanish

Oral Health Education Resources

Oral Health Education Resources

National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH) has a FREE curriculum guide for grades K-4 at www.in.gov/isdh/files/Open_Wide_Trek_Inside.pdf. NIH has other oral health literature for other age groups at catalog.nidcr.nih.gov/OrderPublications.

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center has many FREE fact sheets for professionals, parents, and teachers. A fact sheet describing fluoride varnish is available. This site also has a fact sheet titled, "When children's oral health suffers, so does their ability to learn," at www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/learningfactsheet.pdf.

Mouth Healthy by American Dental Association (ADA) has online oral health games, printable activities, educational videos and much more at www.mouthhealthy.org. Smile Smarts Dental Health curriculum www.mouthhealthy.org/en/resources/lesson-plans/smile-smarts

American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA) has fact sheets for parents and children at www.adha.org/resources. Scroll down to "patient resources."

Proctor and Gamble (Crest toothpaste) has information for parents and children at www.dentalcare.com, and dental hygiene lesson plans for classrooms K-2nd grade teachers at www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/childrens-dental-health/lesson-plans/customize-lesson-plan.

Kids Healthy Mouths has games, videos to view while brushing 2 minutes 2 times a day and other resources at 2min2x.org/watch-brush.

Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) has created the video "Steps for Toothbrushing at the Table: Growing Healthy Smiles in Early Care and Education Programs" eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/video/steps-toothbrushing-table-growing-healthy-smiles-early-care-education-programs that shows how to model proper brushing to children in early childhood centers but can be adapted to the Elementary School setting.

Oral Health Education Activity Sheets - English & Spanish

Land of Smiles

Land of Smiles is a fun, age-appropriate show that teaches children in kindergarten through third grade about good oral health care. Delta Dental has been providing the Land of Smiles program to schools since 2002 and has taught more than one million children in Missouri.

In 2020, Delta Dental shifted the Land of Smiles program from a live show that visits schools to a virtual Land of Smiles experience for students due to COVID-19. They are following federal, state and county guidelines to determine when it is safe to resume the in-person show. Learn more at www.landofsmilesmo.org.

K-12 Narrated Oral Health Presentations - English & Spanish

The Department of Health and Senior Services is pleased to be able to offer new oral health educational video (English-only) presentations designed specifically for Kindergarten through High School Seniors. The Spanish language PowerPoint presentations have not been narrated at this time, but are still good educational resources. The videos and PowerPoints can be downloaded free-of-charge by clicking on the grade(s) specific icons. The presentations can be used by school nurses, teachers, as well as other health care/child care professionals in conjunction with health curriculum.

English Version

Kindergarten narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grade 1 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grade 2 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grade 3 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grade 4 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grade 5 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grades 6-8 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Grades 9-12 narrated oral health presentation, updated 11/2020
Full Playlist of narrated oral health presentations K-12

Spanish Version

Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12

Preventive Services Program (PSP) Information

PSP is dedicated to improving healthy mouths for all Missouri Children through education and preventive services. The goal of PSP is to screen Missouri Children’s oral health and provide a public health intervention called fluoride varnish.

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic disease of childhood. Untreated tooth decay can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who have good oral health. Oral Health is an important part of general health.

The good news is that tooth decay is preventable. Fluoride varnish can prevent about one-third (33%) of cavities in the primary (baby) teeth.

To learn more about PSP or to volunteer at an oral health events go to Preventive Services Program (PSP) page.