Welcome to the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® oral health education program for preschool classrooms. This classroom kit is designed to support health literacy, engage families, and contribute to school readiness for Head Start children and families.
Take your class on an oral health journey with the friendly dentist Dr. Rabbit and his pal, Brushy Brushalotamus. The smiles you share will last a lifetime. You can also visit ColgateBSBF.com for games, posters, and even more activities.
Thank you for spreading the message of good oral care in your classroom.
Sincerely,
Marsha Butler, DDS
BSBF Global Oral Health Initiative
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Alice M. Horowitz, PhD
School of Public Health
University of Maryland, USA
Francisco Ramos-Gomez, D.D.S, M.S., M.P.H.
Director of UCLA Center for Children’s Oral Health
UCLA School of Dentistry
Be A Brushalotamus activity guide
Dr. Rabbit Meets a Brushalotamus storybook*
The activities in this guide have been developed in accordance with the skill areas and child outcomes contained within the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. Each activity is designed to take approximately 15-20 minutes.
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development Health, Safety, and Nutrition Goal P-PMP 4. Child demonstrates personal hygiene and self-care skills.
Scientific Reasoning Scientific Inquiry Goal P-SCI 1. Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development Health, Safety, and Nutrition Goal P-PMP 5. Child develops knowledge and skills that help promote nutritious food choices and eating habits.
Literacy Comprehension and Text Structure Goal P-LIT 4. Child demonstrates an understanding of narrative structure through storytelling/re-telling.
1. Show the How to Have A Bright Smile poster to your class.
2. Tell students that Brushy, a Brushalotamus who likes to brush a lot, wants to show them how to brush their teeth.
3. Following the instructions on the poster, teach children how to brush their teeth.
4. Ask your class:
“When should you brush your teeth at home?”
Answer: After breakfast and before bed.
“For how long should you brush your teeth?”
Answer: Two minutes each time.
“What kind of toothpaste should you use?”
Answer: Fluoride toothpaste.
“Why should you brush with fluoride toothpaste?”
Answer: Fluoride prevents cavities.
Dr. Rabbit Meets a Brushalotamus storybook*
How to Have a Bright Smile Poster
Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, especially after breakfast and before bed
1. Explain to your class that you’re going to show them what sugar can do to their teeth.
2. Divide the yeast into the glass containers. Tell your class that the containers are like mouths and the yeast is like plaque, a germy substance that lives in our mouths.
3. Add the sugar to the container marked “Sugar.” Explain that when we eat sugary foods and drinks, the germs in plaque eat the sugary foods too...and something happens.
4. Add warm water to both containers. As you wait for a reaction (8 to 10 minutes), ask students what they think will happen when the plaque eats the sugar.
5. When the reaction begins, ask students to describe what they see.
6. Explain that plaque attacks like this may happen for up to 30 minutes after eating sugary foods. But, brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste makes our teeth stronger and protects them from sugar and plaque attacks.
Let children put their hands in the air and pretend to slide down the Super Glide Fluoride Slide on page 9.
2 clear glass containers, one marked “Sugar”
1 tablespoon (packet) of sugar
1 7g (14 oz.) yeast packet
1 cup of warm water
1. Play I Spy Healthy Snacks using classroom foods. For example, say “I spy a round, red fruit.” The first child to say “Apple” gets to describe it. Let children take turns.
2. Ask students to name healthy snacks they like to eat. Explain that the whole class is going to taste some yummy, healthy snacks.
3. Let students taste the first snack. Ask them to share what they like about it using words such as green, crunchy, delicious.
4. Taste two to three snacks a day with your class for several days. Remind students that eating healthy snacks is one way to keep their teeth healthy
Play I Spy Healthy Snacks with the illustrations on pages 6-9.
Head Start-approved healthy snacks
Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, especially after breakfast and before bed
Let children make grocery lists by drawing pictures of their favorite healthy snacks. Send the drawings home with other key information for families.
1. It’s time to put on your bunny ears! Play Dr. Rabbit as you act out Brushy’s dental visit.
2. Choose a stuffed animal to play Brushy. Let children play Brushy’s mom and the dental hygienist.
3. As a class, role play Brushy’s visit to Dr. Rabbit’s office: arriving, waiting in the waiting room, learning how to brush teeth, getting an exam, and making Brushy’s next appointment.
4. Ask children how they would feel if they were Brushy.
5. Let your class ask Dr. Rabbit (you) questions about dental visits and oral care
Ask children to name what they see at Dr. Rabbit’s dental office on pages 10-11.
Stuffed animal
Optional: hand mirror, gloves, mask, goggles, bunny ears
Eat healthy snacks instead of sugary or sticky foods
Have children make posters about why they love caring for their teeth. Use them as placemats during circle brushing.
