CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 7

N ews and E vents Video Encourages Parents to LIFT THE LIP The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Office of the Chief Dental Officer (OCDO) joined forces with two organizations inManitoba to produce a 5-minute oral health promotion video for parents and caregivers, promoting a simple technique for assessing tooth decay in children. The “Lift the Lip” video collaboration involves Healthy Smile Happy Child, an intersectoral partnership that uses a community-based approach to engage parents, caregivers and service providers in early childhood caries (ECC) prevention strategies, and Healthy Start for Mom & Me, a prenatal nutrition program based in Winnipeg. According to the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 57% of children between age 6 and 11 have decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) on primary and permanent teeth combined, and children from vulnerable populations often experience higher rates. The Lift the Lip video was created to improve oral health awareness, specifically about ECC and early childhood tooth decay. The video incorporates key oral health messages for the families of vulnerable children up to age 6. “It is a simple assessment of children’s teeth to check for early signs of tooth decay,” explains Lisette Dufour, senior oral health advisor for the OCDO. “It is recognized worldwide as an effective means to increase early intervention to prevent more advanced oral caries and disease, and it promotes a family focus on oral health and preventative care.” The video is available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut in order to reach as many Canadians as possible. Some of the video’s key messages and recommendations for parents and caregivers are: Lifting the top lip at least once a month is a simple way to assess baby teeth for early signs of tooth decay.  Lift the top lip and check the gumline area as tooth decay often starts there and can’t always be seen when the child smiles.  Early signs of tooth decay look like white, brown or discoloured areas on the teeth, often along the gumline of the upper front teeth.  If you see any of these signs in your child’s mouth, take your child to an oral health professional for assessment. “The video was disseminated to the Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry and to the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Dental Directors Working Group, which will enable Canada-wide dissemination,” says Ms. Dufour. “PHAC also sent it to all of its 800 locations, including the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban & Northern Communities and all of the sites of Community Action Program for Children and the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program.” a The Lift the Lip videos can be found on the Healthy Smile Happy Child YouTube channel. Watch the full interview on Oasis Discussions: oasisdiscussions.ca/ 2018/04/30/hshc