A beautiful smile can light up a room — and no-one knows this better than Seleisa Kolone, a Plunket nurse for B4 School Checks. Seleisa has worked as a Plunket nurse for six years and says the best part of her job is working alongside whanau to provide children with the support they need to ensure they have the best start possible at school.
Plunket has worked in partnership with Colgate and the New Zealand Dental Association since 2007, with a collaborative aim to promote good oral health for all New Zealand children and establish healthy oral hygiene habits from an early age.
Seleisa talking healthy teeth at a B4 School Check
“In my time as a Plunket nurse doing B4 School Checks, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact of this partnership — I just look at the smiles of our kids!” says Seleisa.
“The B4 School Checks are really important as they provide a great opportunity to pass on oral health tips to parents and children, such as brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, limiting sugary drinks and having regular dental check-ups,” says Seleisa.
Colgate gives a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to every Plunket baby at their five-month visit and again at their B4 School Check.
“Children love receiving the gift of a Colgate toothpaste and toothbrush; they get very excited and often want to brush their teeth at the check! Parents are also very appreciative and it creates such a positive way to talk about oral health,” she says.
“Colgate, NZDA and Plunket are committed to supporting better oral health outcomes for Kiwi families and we are excited to continue delivering vital oral health messages and growing the programme year to year.”
Tips & tricks
Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste — the NZDA recommends all toothpastes, including ‘natural’ toothpastes, contain at least 1000ppm fluoride, in line with New Zealand Guidelines for the Use of Fluorides.
Five steps to good oral health
Tooth decay is easy to prevent by following these five steps to good oral health, says Plunket nurse Seleisa:
• Brush twice a day
• Use fluoride toothpaste
• Have regular dental check-ups
• Lift the lip every month to check for signs of tooth decay
• Choose healthy foods and drinks
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