Healthy Schools

Every year, registered dental hygienists and dental assistants from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit visit all publicly-funded (and some privately-funded) elementary schools in Windsor and Essex County to screen all Junior (JK) and Senior (SK) Kindergarten, and Grade 2 students. Additional students from other grades may be screened, based on the previous year’s dental screening results of Grade 2 students.

Research has found that tooth decay, such as cavities, and gum disease can be a cause of other serious health problems. In the case of an oral infection, bacteria can travel through the blood stream or airways to other parts of the body. Health conditions such as heart disease and stroke are linked to oral health problems.

If you’re looking for more information on oral health, please contact the Oral Health Department at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at 519-258-2146 ext. 1199.

Taking care of the teeth and mouth on a daily basis is the first step which can be done at home.

Oral heath is a key part of a child’s overall health and well-being. Students with dental pain or dental disease may have problems eating, issues with speech development, and low self-esteem.

Cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease in Canada, with more than 50% of children between the ages of 6 to 11 having had a cavity. Cavities are also increasing in toddlers between the ages of 2 to 4 years.

Oral health, just like healthy eating and being physically active, plays an important role in our general health and well-being. Oral health is more than just teeth; it also includes your lips, tongue, throat and mouth.