Brushing up early for dental hygiene
Nine-month-old Sebastian Davis has only two teeth, but his mother already has her son participating in a regular dental hygiene routine.
"We brush his teeth every day - in the morning and at night," said Alicia Davis after she received a new toddler toothbrush for her son.
Thanks to Book of Dreams readers, more mothers such as Davis will be able to start their children on healthy dental hygiene programs. Readers donated about 600 toddler toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste to the Mother-Baby Program of the Sacramento Food Bank.
Managers at the nonprofit program had requested the donation of tooth care products, saying they often see low-income families who can barely afford food for their children, let alone toothbrushes. Having the proper equipment to care for children's teeth is critical, they said. Gum disease and bottle rot in children is a common problem and can escalate to other health problems.
The 250 to 300 families who monthly avail themselves of the services at the Mother-Baby Program attend mandatory parenting classes that discuss everything from healthy exercise to practical child discipline.
Managers at the program are planning to have dentists lead workshops on proper child dental hygiene. They will distribute more of the toothbrushes during those visits.