Alum Advises Students About Dental Care

Alum and pediatric dentist Rachel Vorwaller ’09 returned to Parker to talk about the importance of oral health with Lower School students.

Recognizing that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, Vorwaller arranged a visit with Senior Kindergarteners and 3rd graders to spread some dental knowledge and provide guidance on proper oral hygiene.

Vorwaller spoke at length about the importance of teeth. While we certainly need them to eat, she noted their importance for speech and the way our faces look on the outside. Students learned that they start out with 20 baby teeth and end up with 32 adult teeth. Vorwaller compared teeth to bones in their structural importance to our bodies: She pointed out that while bones can regenerate, teeth cannot—which is why it is necessary to take good care of them.

Vorwaller then discussed proper brushing techniques, which should incorporate side to side, up and down and small circular motions. She reminded students to brush all sides of their teeth and make sure to get the gum line area and tongue. She encouraged students to brush their teeth for two minutes at least twice a day, even suggesting help from a parent/guardian if needed.

Third grade students had the chance to practice some of these brushing techniques on stuffed animals with chompers, and they learned about the importance of flossing as part of regular oral hygiene via a demonstration in which two students played the role of teeth standing back to back with a throw pillow shaped like a kernel of corn between them. Another pair of students then used a jump rope to dislodge the corn from between the teeth—the same way floss works in one’s mouth!

To help students better identify foods that were good for their dental health versus those that are not, Vorwaller presented laminated images of food items for the kids to label as good versus bad. Students learned that fruits, vegetables and even chocolate and ice cream are actually good from a dental perspective compared with items like gummy bears, soda, fruit juice and the like.

Vorwaller ended her visit by distributing an oral care kit to each student to practice the topics from the day at home. 

It’s always wonderful when a graduate returns to Parker to share more about their life today with current students. The school thanks Vorwaller for making the effort; enjoy photos from this visit here.

Click here for photos.