Blog Posts
Saving kids’ teeth
The Dental Wellness Trust
Up to 80% of children in South Africa have tooth decay before the age of six, which is perhaps not surprising with the combination of extremely high sugar consumption and limited access to dental care. Many people do not have basic oral care tools; it’s not unheard of for a whole family to share one toothbrush.
The Dental Wellness Trust (DWT) is on a mission to improve oral health around the world. The registered charity is based in London, but making a difference in South Africa, the UK and other countries.
Dentist Dr Linda Greenwall, who is originally from South Africa, founded the dynamic non-profit organisation in 2011, to provide innovative oral health education programmes and treatment for children and vulnerable adults.
“We believe everyone has the right to access oral healthcare, and enjoy a life of dignity, free from pain,” she says. “Prevention is key. Before we start treating tooth decay we need to teach children correct habits.”
The DWT has worked in Israel, Rwanda, Uganda and Ghana. They have rolled out their Live Smart oral health education programme in England. “We took what we’ve learnt working with children in South Africa and applied it to the UK,” says Dr Greenwall.
The Dental Wellness Trust has been active in South Africa since 2012 and currently work with almost 15 000 pre-school children at hundreds of schools in low-income areas of Cape Town and Johannesburg. Their specially trained ‘toothbrushing mamas’ run the programme at the schools and in their own homes. Live Smart teaches young children the most important hygiene practices for good health – proper hand washing and correct tooth brushing.
“When we started working in South Africa it was shocking to see the enormous levels of tooth decay in very young children. But we have seen how the Live Smart programme makes a difference. It’s so effective that we’re rolling it out in the UK as well.” DWT is also working to open a dental clinic and education centre in Mfuleni, where volunteer dental professionals from around the world can come to help treat patients who otherwise are unable to easily access care.
At Ivohealth and our sister company Ivodent, we are committed to supporting the Dental Wellness Trust in South Africa. You can help! Every time someone enters the #FreshBreathCheck in February, we will donate a Sunstar GUM toothbrush to the Trust. Take the test here and help give a child a healthy smile.
For more info visit the Dental Wellness Trust website, or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram,
Blog Posts
Cleaning the tongue – a dummies guide
For fresh breath and a healthy mouth dental professionals recommend cleaning the tongue every day as part of an effective oral hygiene routine. Here’s how to clean the tongue in 7 simple steps:
- Ideally, use a tool specially designed for cleaning the tongue like the Sunstar GUM Tongue Cleaner. If you don’t have one, use your toothbrush or a metal teaspoon turned upside down.
- Clean your tongue each time you brush your teeth (twice a day), especially if you smoke or suffer from post-nasal drip.
- Gently scrape from as far back as you can without gagging, to the front of the tongue. Breathing out as your clean the back of the tongue helps prevent gagging.
- Rinse the tool between each swipe.
- Gargle with water or an alcohol-free mouthwash.
- Clean the tongue before or after brushing and flossing – whichever you prefer. Cleaning the tongue at night can help prevent ‘morning breath’.
- For extra freshness use a small amount of toothpaste and gently brush the tongue before cleaning.
The Sunstar GUM Tongue Cleaner very cleverly has two edges – one with soft bristles to gently brush the tongue and one with a serrated edge to wipe clean.
WIN! You can win with our February #FreshBreathFix campaign. There are weekly Sunstar GUM hampers and two premium DSLR Lumix cameras up for grabs. Simply follow us on Facebook and look out for the weekly competitions.
GIVE! Giving feels good! We’ve chosen to support the Dental Wellness Trust during February’s #FreshBreathFix campaign. Each time someone signs up for our newsletter (www.ivohealth.co.za/contact-us) we will donate a Sunstar GUM children’s toothbrush on their behalf, to the Dental Wellness Trust’s oral health education programme in Khayelitsha. This programme is teaching 10, 000 pre-school learners how to look after their teeth so they can enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiles. Please sign up and support this great initiative.
Blog Posts
Treat your tongue to a #FreshBreathFix
Rather than getting in a twist about smelly breath, treat your tongue to a fresh breath fix. For when it comes to bad breath, experts agree that the tongue is often the culprit.
“We recommend tongue scraping as part of a regular oral care routine,” says Stella Lamprecht, President of the Oral Hygienists’ Association of South Africa. “The surface of the tongue has tiny grooves where bacteria and plaque can accumulate. Removing the bacteria and debris on the tongue is one of the simplest ways to ensure fresh breath and a healthy mouth. Everyone, from children to older people, should incorporate it into their oral care on a daily basis. Cleaning the tongue at night can help prevent ‘morning’ breath.”
“Ideally use a tool specially designed for the job like the Sunstar GUM Tongue Cleaner,” says Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth’s oral hygiene advisor. “Alternatively, use your toothbrush or a metal teaspoon turned upside down; both are better than not doing it at all. Start as far back as you can without gagging and gently scrape the tongue’s surface. Don’t use much pressure. It shouldn’t be painful or cause injury. Rinse the tool after each swipe and then gargle, using water or an alcohol-free mouthwash like Sunstar GUM Original White mouthrinse or Dentyl Dual Action.
In some cultures, cleaning the tongue has been a tradition since ancient times. For centuries, Indian Ayurvedic medicine has recommended daily scraping for mental, physical and spiritual well-being. More recently research has shown that cleaning the tongue improves breath odour and the sense of taste.
“Brushing correctly, flossing in-between the teeth and cleaning the tongue are the cornerstones of effective oral care,” says Grobbelaar. “If plaque and food debris are not properly removed from the various parts of the mouth they break down and release foul-smelling gases, irritate the gums and potentially cause disease.” For expert oral care advice speak to your dental professional.
WIN! You can win with our February #FreshBreathFix campaign. There are weekly Sunstar GUM hampers and two premium DSLR Lumix cameras up for grabs. Simply follow us on Facebook and look out for the weekly competitions.
GIVE! Giving feels good! We’ve chosen to support the Dental Wellness Trust during February’s #FreshBreathFix campaign. Each time someone signs up for our newsletter we will donate a Sunstar GUM children’s toothbrush on their behalf, to the Dental Wellness Trust’s oral health education programme in Khayelitsha. This programme is teaching 10, 000 pre-school learners how to look after their teeth so they can enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiles. Please sign up and support this great initiative.
