Lessons in tooth care

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Portage High School dental hygiene vocational program students (from left) Xavier Rogers, Tricia Linderman and Brooke Artka, all juniors, and senior Zak Kizer get help to demonstrate flossing technique. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 16, 2012 8:06AM

Five groups of dental health students went to Myers Elementary School Feb. 9 to instruct the students on proper dental hygiene. The dental health course is one of the Career & Technical Education programs housed at Portage High School.

Teacher Lynn Wilson accompanied the high school students.

“We try to visit all the elementary schools once a year,” Wilson said. “It’s a great experience for our students to work with the younger children and support dental health. Every child in every grade gets a new toothbrush, and for some of the children this might be the only new brush they get each year and the only instruction on how to use it correctly.”

Four of the dental students had just completed their presentation in Cindy Hargarten’s second-grade classroom.

Dominique Turner said of the second-graders, “They were all very excited. They are so young and fearless at that age.”

Felicia Tatgenhorst said, “They participated really well, asking questions of their own and answering our questions.”

“It was nice that they listened so well to our presentation and didn’t interrupt until it was time for questions,” Sam Snitchler said.

Andrea Trimble added, “They were really active and interested. It made me miss being a little kid.”

Zak Kizer, Xavier Rogers, Tricia Linderman and Brooke Artka did their presentation with the kindergarten classes. Teachers Jan Cantrell and Jody Greer combined their classes in Greer’s classroom.

They began with an animated video about dental health. The children watched attentively as they learned about brushing, flossing and eating correctly through entertaining songs such as, “New Teeth Are Coming and They’re Here to Stay.”

Each of the dental students then reinforced the topics from the video in words the children could understand.

Linderman told them, “Cavities are caused by sugary drinks and foods and incorrect brushing. The pain caused by cavities is not a good feeling at all.”

Kizer said, “The worst possible thing you can do for your teeth is to smoke. It causes them to be yellow, adds to decay and gum disease. Plus it makes your breath stinks. It’s really gross!”

To reinforce the idea of flossing, the dental students had four volunteers come up and wear placards with smiling teeth on them. Two more volunteers used a jump rope to “floss” between the teeth.

“If you have trouble getting to all your teeth, especially the ones in back, ask your parents to help you,” Rogers told the youngsters.

He used a large stuffed gorilla named Bobo with a full set of teeth to show the children the correct way to brush. Two volunteers came up to repeat the demonstration.

When she completed her demonstration, kindergartner Cayley Markoss patted the gorilla and told him, “Good boy, Bobo!”

The students completed their program by giving the teachers printed games and worksheets as follow-up activities. They also left a bag of new toothbrushes.

Kindergartner Abriana Kelly spotted the bag said, “Yay! Toothbrushes for everyone!”