More than 50 million school hours are lost each year to poor oral health, according to the FDI World Dental Federation. Through its Mouth Heroes for Schools program, FDI helps teachers integrate oral health into their lesson plans to drive positive change and have healthier, happier children inside and outside the classroom.
Mouth Heroes seeks to positively engage children by giving teachers tools to deliver engaging lessons about the importance of good oral health, FDI said. The educational resource includes a teacher guide and lesson plans including videos, worksheets, PowerPoint presentations, and certificates.
Learning oral hygiene habits at an early age encourages children to prioritize their oral health into adulthood and beyond, FDI said. By the end of the Mouth Heroes program, children will understand how to take care of their mouth, beware of certain foods that can harm their teeth and body, take more responsibility for their own oral health, and feel empowered to practice healthy behaviors now and in the future, FDI said.
FDI also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools to prioritize online learning. Mouth Heroes is available on FDI’s website for download and is designed to be easy to use both digitally and in print. These lessons can be applied as part of online learning or efficiently used by parents at home during school closures, FDI said.
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