Australasian Dentist Magazine March April 2021

Category 22 Australasian Dentist I n 2017 the National Oral Health Survey in Vanuatu reported that 70% of children aged between 5-7 years old had dental decay, 19% needed urgent treatment for pain and/or infection and 78% had bleeding gums indicative of poor oral hygiene. From these key findings the Gudfala Tut Skul program was developed, Gudfala Tut meaning Healthy Teeth in Bislama, the common language used throughout Vanuatu. The Gudfala Tut Skul program is a supervised tooth brushing program for Kindergarten and Grade 1 school children in Vanuatu. The purpose of the program is to develop tooth brushing skills and greater awareness of the importance of oral health in children and families; instilling life-long oral hygiene habits during the early formative years and contributing to improvement in overall oral health. with locally sourced raw materials and in the manufacturing of the toothpaste. The toothpaste was based on coconut oil that was readily available in Vanuatu as a local product. The formula is mixed in a standard kitchen food mixer which empowers the local communities to safely prepare the toothpaste to consistent standards. with the toothbrush bristles, meeting infection control protocols. It is hoped in the future with more trials the calcium carbonate in the paste may be able to be sourced from shore harvested dead coral that can be located from the local beaches. Since the program started, teachers are reporting that fewer children (and even teachers who participate in the program) are experiencing less toothache and consequently children are more alert in class and there are fewer classroom absences due to toothache. The children participating in the program complete a classroom and at home brushing diary. The diary entries show that almost 100% of children are brushing their teeth at least twice daily. The children have also been able to get other siblings and parents involved in brushing their teeth which is a positive family shift from no or little brushing to some brushing. By August 2020, the Gudfala Tut Skul Program had been implemented in 14 urban, 1 semi-urban and 2 rural schools covering 1,265 Kindergarten children (49 classes) and 947 Grade 1 children (26 classes). The target for 2021 is presently 38 schools and to put these numbers into perspective, the total population of Vanuatu is around 380,000. Currently MSM, PCV Health and MOH are preparing a phased plan to cover 40 urban and 80 rural schools in Vanuatu. u Gudfala Tut – the healthy teeth program n ws GRAPEFRUIT + BERGAMOT Toothpaste to help you shine: Juicy grapefruit, invigorating bergamot CURAPROX Vegan and Herbal.... Grapefruit banner.indd 1 23/11/2020 2:33:39 PM The program is a partnership between Medical Sailing Ministries (MSM Inc.), The Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, Vanuatu Ministry of Health, and Dentalife Australia Pty Ltd. Dentalife collaborated to develop a toothpaste for the program that allowed the local communities to get involved The paste needed to be bright in colour to attract the children and create excitement for them to partake in the program. Sustainability was another important requirement as the formula needed to be manufactured in reusable bottles to reduce impact on the environment whilst still maintaining infection control standards. The paste consistency and reusable bottles allows the teacher to apply toothpaste to a number of student toothbrushes quickly and efficiently, whilst avoiding contact