Ahhh... What a Smile

By Catherine Steele and Beth Ellen Rossen

A smile is a frown turned upside down. A smile can make the world seem right. A smile can brighten up a room. A smile... well, you know how good a smile makes you feel. But, are you keeping yours in top shape?

A survey asked 7,000 Canadian youth, aged 11 to 16 years, how often they brushed their teeth. Sixty-six per cent said they brushed their teeth more than once a day. The survey also asked how often they used dental floss. Forty-nine per cent said they flossed at least weekly. Not bad!

But how do you think 319 Canadian youth with disabilities, aged 11 to 16 years, responded? For both questions, the percentages were lower for youth with disabilities. Fifty-five per cent brushed their teeth more than once a day, and only 25 per cent flossed at least weekly.

These results are not surprising, as many youth with disabilities have difficulty with brushing, let alone flossing! But we need to try and keep a smile in top shape.

So, what can youth with disabilities do? Here are some suggestions: Eat a well-balanced, low-sugar diet (cut down on that candy and pop). Brush your teeth at least after breakfast and before bedtime. Drink water or eat an apple after meals, if you can. Visit your dentist regularly (at least every six months), and get a fluoride treatment -- statistics have shown that fluoride can dramatically reduce cavities. Use a toothpaste with fluoride (read the contents on those tubes of toothpaste).

If it is difficult to hold your toothbrush, ask your dentist if changes to the handle can be made. You might even ask your dentist about using an electric toothbrush (a great plaque attacker in those hard-to-reach places like at the gum lines).

Healthy teeth not only give you a winning smile, but also make life easier in other ways. For example, your teeth are essential for chewing. They also assist with speech. Furthermore, with healthy teeth, you may avoid serious problems such as gum disease and abscess.

So remember: A healthy smile is a crooked line that makes everything else straight! Show off your smile!

(If you have any other ideas on dental care, please let us know by calling Catherine Steele at Bloorview MacMillan Centre, (416) 424-3855 or 1-800-363-2440, ext. 3642; e-mail: ortccs@oise.utoronto.ca. Thanks to the Easter Seal Research Institute for funding our research.)