Good oral health is more than having good teeth and a nice smile – it is important for good health and wellbeing. Our teeth help us to eat, speak and are important for our self-esteem. Baby teeth also hold the space for adult teeth. Starting good dental health habits early has lifelong benefits. [1]
Having healthy teeth and gums helps protect your smile and supports your overall health.
Check out this video on how WAVE helped Rural Scholars Early Learning Centre with their Oral Health programme.
The South Canterbury District Health Board funds the ‘Child Nutrition and Oral Health Promoter’ to work with the South Canterbury community to create environments that promote good oral health from an early age. This includes:
Watch a video on Caring for Baby Teeth - looking after your child's baby teeth can help ensure their adult teeth come through healthy and strong. Your child's first teeth (also called baby teeth) will help them to eat and speak well.
The Community Dental Service provides FREE dental care to eligible children living in South Canterbury or Canterbury from birth until School Year 8. If you are new to the region you need to enrol with the Community Dental Service. To enrol or to make an appointment contact the Community Dental Service: 0800 TINY TEETH (846 983) or commdental@cdhb.health.nz
Teenagers can have a FREE dental check-up from a local dentist until their 18th birthday if they are at school, on a course, working or looking for work. Call 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) for more information or freedentalcare@cdhb.health.nz. Find a dentist in South Canterbury.
Does your setting celebrate oral health days?
We have various toolkits, programmes and useful links that you can access to help with your investigation into Oral Health.
[1] Community & Public Health https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/oral-health/