Canadian tooth fairy takes message of dental hygiene to Kenyan kids

Canadian tooth fairy takes message of dental hygiene to Kenyan kids
Michelle Magnan
26 January 2009
Victoria Times Colonist

A former dental hygienist who reinvented herself as "Toothena the Tooth Fairy" for a children's book she wrote has spread her wings to Kenya to hand out 4,000 toothbrushes to kids in need.

It was the maiden voyage for the charity CoraMarie Clark of Calgary founded in late 2007, called The Tooth Fairy Children's Foundation. The foundation recently received its official charitable status.

"My goal is to get toothbrushes into the hands of all children. And if they end up getting a cavity, I want somebody there to help them have it taken care of," says Clark.

"In developing countries, 90 per cent of decay goes untreated. (Learning that) just ripped my heart out and I thought, 'I need to do something to try to make a difference.' "

The 52-year-old has an MBA from the University of Calgary and is a dental consultant for practices across North America. But dressed in her light-pink gown, wand and tiara, Clark glows as Toothena, the real-life version of the animated heroine in her self-published children's book, Emily's Magical Journey with Toothena the Tooth Fairy (2007, $22.95).

Clark donned her costume every time she spoke at a school or orphanage in Kenya and, months after her October trip, still gets teary speaking about the kids she met along the way.

Many times, the kids receiving the toothbrushes had never owned their own toothbrush and were used to sharing.

"At an orphanage for boys, there was a peanut butter jar with the oldest, most awful-looking toothbrushes I've ever seen. It made my stomach turn," she says.

"It was just amazing to give them (each) a new toothbrush."

For more information, visit thetoothfairyspeaks. com.

TOOTHENA'S TIPS FOR PARENTS

Caring for your child's teeth from a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of good oral health, Cora Marie Clark, otherwise known as Toothena, says. Here are her tips to ensure you and your kids have healthy, pearly whites:

- Set a good example by brushing and flossing your own teeth. Make toothbrushing a fun, bonding experience with your kids.

- Your child's teeth need to be brushed at least twice a day and flossed at least once a day, especially right before bedtime.

- Begin cleaning your child's teeth as soon as the first one appears. start with a cloth or piece of gauze and move on to a toothbrush as your child gets older.

- Don't share toothbrushes. If you have periodontal disease, it can be passed on to the child.

- Begin flossing your child's teeth when he is three or four years old. Flossing is important because no matter how meticulously you brush, when the teeth are touching each other, toothbrush bristles can't clean effectively between them.

- Plan to floss your kids' teeth until they are about eight years old. Children usually don't have the manual dexterity to floss on their own until that age.

- Your baby's first visit to the dentist should be for an assessment within six months of the eruption of the first tooth or by the time the infant reaches the first birthday. The goal is to have your child see your dentist before there are any problems with his/her teeth.

- Your child's first dental exam should happen by age two or three. This visit will allow the dentist to ensure your home care is working and to detect and prevent any problems right away.

- Help your child feel comfortable about a visit to the dentist. Read books, such as the Berenstein Bears go to the Dentist or Emily's Magical Journey With Toothena the Tooth Fairy. Consider bringing him along to your own checkup and cleaning, to familiarize him with how much fun a visit to the dentist can be.