30 Where There Is No Dentist 2012
FLIP CHARTS—AN EXAMPLE
Dental workers in Mozambique created this flip
chart presentation for teaching in schools.
1) Here is a healthy, happy schoolboy. In the circle
you see the inside of his mouth. His teeth are
white and clean. Look at his gums. What color
are they? Are they tight or loose? Between the
teeth, are the gums pointed or flat?
2) This is an unhappy, sick boy. What color are
his teeth? Not only are they yellow, there are
black spots. These are cavities.
What color are his gums? Are they pointed?
Loose, red, swollen gums are signs of gum
disease.
Both cavities and gum disease can be treated.
3) What happens if tooth and gum
problems are not treated?
a) The black hole grows bigger on
the tooth and a sore forms on the
gums near the root. The tooth hurts
whenever you touch it.
b) The red, loose gums pull away from
the tooth. Infection gets to the bone
and eats it. The tooth loses the bone
and the gum around it.
The first problem is a tooth abscess. The second is advanced gum
disease. If either of these things happens, the tooth must be taken out.
4) Why does the boy have cavities and gum disease?
There are 2 reasons.
a) He eats too many sweet foods.
What foods do you see here?
What other foods hurt the teeth?
b) He does not clean his teeth regularly.
The germs in his mouth eat sugar from
his food and make acid. Acid causes
both cavities and gum disease.