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Water Boy Helps Launch Oral Health Drive Targeting Children Up To Three Years Of AgeWater Boy paid a special visit to Bruthen Kinder Gym today (29 June) to help launch a new East Gippsland-wide oral health drive aimed specifically at small children up to three years of age.
By East Gippsland Water - 1st July 2011 - Back to News East Gippsland Primary Care Partnership and East Gippsland Water have joined forces for the Start Smiling Oral Health Promotion, to help cut the incidence of tooth decay and gum disease amongst the region’s youngest residents. This initiative is being piloted in five settings this year including kinder gyms in Bruthen, Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale and at an occasional care/playgroup in Mallacoota.
The program promotes the benefits of good oral hygiene and healthy eating. It is based on the Dental Health Services Victoria Smiles 4 Miles oral health program, using three key messages to promote healthy choices. The key messages are:
Drink well - Take tap water as the preferred drink - limit sugary, fizzy drinks and plain milk is preferable to flavoured.
Eat well - Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods - limit sugary foods, especially between meals, and enjoy healthy snacks.
Clean well - Brush twice a day with a low fluoride (children's) toothpaste, encourage flossing and develop good oral hygiene practices at an early age.
Resources used to help spread these messages include books, posters, displays, DVDs and music. East Gippsland Water is also distributing pint size drink bottles bearing the message ‘Water is Best’.
At the Bruthen Kinder Gym launch, Water Boy took the opportunity to perform songs from the Cool Smiles Show which complements the oral health promotion messages.
East Gippsland Primary Care Partnership Executive Officer, Prue Stone, said: " We are excited to have East Gippsland Water on board, helping support our oral health promotion program for 0-3 year olds. When trying to promote water as the preferred choice of drink for children, what better partner to support this message than East Gippsland Water."
Said East Gippsland Water’s Managing Director, Les Mathieson: "As a water corporation we are committed to providing high quality drinking water which also represents value for money and so we welcome the chance to be involved in this very worthwhile initiative. Water is essential for life and drinking plenty of tap water in preference to alternatives such as fizzy, sugary drinks is not only much better for the overall health of our youngest residents, but provides a significant cost saving for parents."
Ends
NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information and to arrange interviews please contact:
Sueanne Claringbould Ronan Carroll
Health Promotion Coordinator Communications Manager
East Gippsland Primary Care Partnership East Gippsland Water
Ph: 5152 0023 Ph: 5150 4434 / 0428 539303
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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