Tooth Wisdom: Get Smart About Your Mouth
Each Tooth Wisdom workshop is 1 hour long and covers the basics of daily oral care. It helps participants understand what to do when they experience certain health problems that can hinder their ability to complete daily oral hygiene.
A dental professional will demonstrate various techniques that alleviate conditions unique to older adults, such as holding a toothbrush if someone has arthritis. Workshops are set up using PowerPoint, projector, and handouts. The workshops are specifically geared toward older adult learning styles. Education models and visuals demonstrating proper oral hygiene are shown throughout the presentation.
This workshop aims to:
- increase the self-efficacy for daily oral health self-care behaviors
- increase participants’ knowledge about the connection between good oral hygiene and their overall health.
After the educational workshop, the dental professional will conduct a brief oral health screening. The dental professional will assess each senior by looking in their mouth for any signs of decay and assess their need for treatment in the state of none, early, or urgent. Suwannee River AHEC’s Special Projects coordinator will record the information.
At the end of the workshop each attendee is given an oral health kit including a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, educational materials, and a list of local resources for dental services.