Oral Health Resources

Our oral health resources were created with the understanding that oral health is connected to overall well-being and begins as early as in the womb. We provide educational opportunities that span from pregnancy through childhood, offering easy to follow guidance for every stage of development. Explore our resources to learn how preventive behaviors from prenatal care to daily brushing routines contribute to healthy mouths and healthy bodies.

Discover practical advice, learning materials, and real support for your family as we work together to improve oral health.

Understanding oral health
Educational video library
Downloadable resources
Community programs

Understanding oral health

Oral health is achieved through proper preventive care and prompt treatment for dental problems for both children and pregnant women. Children with untreated dental problems may have difficulty with pain, eating, self-esteem or school attendance. In more severe cases, children need emergency care, hospitalization or surgical procedures.

Defining the problem in North Texas:

One in 7 children ages 1–17 (175,000 children) did not receive all needed dental care. This rate is nearly 9 times higher than the national estimates and 5 times higher than state estimates before the pandemic. Contributing factors were inadequate insurance to cover costs, and limited services in a family’s area.
One in 6 children (206,000 children) did not have a preventive dental visit, which was most common with children 5 years or younger, children of color, or children from low-income families.
Three in 10 school-age children (257,000 children) do not have excellent or very good oral health, and these children are twice as likely to miss school due to dental problems.

Educational videos to share

KidBits Oral Health – Baby Teeth

KidBits Salud bucal – Dientes de Bebé

Brush and Floss Demonstration | Save a Smile || Oral Health | Cook Children's

Tooth Brushing | Cook Children's

Cavities | KidBits || Oral Health | Cook Children's

KidBits Salud bucal – Cavidades

Dental Visits | KidBits || Oral Health | Cook Children's

KidBits Salud bucal - Visitas dentales

Eat and Drink Healthy | KidBits

KidBits Salud bucal – Comer, Beber

Downloadable resources

Downloadable resources to encourage children to continue good oral health habits while at home and school! We've collected some great coloring sheets, educational pages, quick lessons and other tips which are all great for home learning.

Dentists say that the most important part of tooth care happens at home. Brushing and flossing properly, along with regular dental checkups, can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

If you're like most people, you don't exactly look forward to facing a dentist's drill. So wouldn't it be better to prevent cavities before they begin?

You need teeth to talk and eat properly. From baby teeth to permanent teeth, we'll help you learn about them!

Let's start with a funny question ... What's spit? Pull a lollipop out of your mouth and you'll see it. Wake up after drooling on your pillow and you'll feel it. That's right, it's spit, also known as saliva (say: suh-LIE-vuh). Learn all about spit here.

What happens at the Dentist? Brushing and flossing are important, but you also need to visit your dentist regularly to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Let's learn more about what happens at the dentist's office. Learn all about dentist office visits here.

Other fun information:

Brushing and flossing demonstration: Short video demonstrating toothbrushing and flossing for students.
Visiting the dentist: A short video explaining the process of a dental visit for children.
A pediatric dentist answers kids questions about oral health.
Click here to get serious about your teeth!

Community events and training

Training

In addition to providing resources for our families, The Center for Community Health is also committed to providing education to professionals in our community. The following trainings can be provided in person upon request and staff availability to public health professionals. To make a request, contact Elaine Vivens.

Oral Health: In-person and recorded trainings for professionals in the community who are interested in learning more about oral health and its connection to overall health. Trained individuals are provided a teaching toolkit and resources to go out into the community and deliver aligned oral health information to individuals and families within their networks.