Dental Hygiene to Preschoolers in Carries, Haiti

Elmera, Pierre Andre

According to World Health Organization (2012), 60–90% of school age children have dental cavities. Oral health is essential to a person’s general health. It consist of being free from oral infection, mouth and facial pain, tooth decay, tooth loss, or any other condition such as blood borne disease and heart attacks. Many of these issues might restrict a person’s ability in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing. Some of the risk factors consist of unhealthy diet, poor oral hygiene, and especially availability and access to dental care services.

Before traveling to Haiti, we researched Haiti’s history, healthcare system, and accessibility to services. In Haiti, children living in especially the rural communities lack access to dental health services. Furthermore, the water supply does not contain sufficient fluoride; which, according to the Center for Disease Control, plays a vital role in decreasing dental caries. We decided to conduct a project related to dental hygiene in the rural area of Carries, Haiti.

In June 2015, as part of our elective nursing course which addresses assessment of healthcare services in a global underserved population; we traveled to Haiti to participate in a class project on dental hygiene. When we arrived in Carries, Haiti, we had the opportunity to meet with a group of preschoolers at the Mission of Grace orphanage. We presented our project on dental hygiene. Teaching was done by first assessing how the preschoolers brushed their teeth; followed by demonstrating to the preschoolers the proper techniques for brushing their teeth. To engage the preschoolers, we distributed packages that contain toothbrushes and toothpaste. Each of the preschoolers had the opportunity to practice following our teaching session. The preschoolers were very engaged and happy to participant in our session. The administration and staff of the orphanage also became engaged in our project, and planned to continue many of the steps that we used to engage the preschoolers. It is our hope to return and continue to work with the preschoolers.