Dentist brings shining bright smiles to home
The boys were visited by a dentist to have a full mouth check-up and were given a talk on oral hygiene
NORKEM Park dentist, Dr Coriné Herbst, gave the boys at the All Stars Shelter free oral treatment and organised for an oral hygiene lesson by a Colgate representative.
Herbst, who has been giving free full mouth check-ups to children at various homes in and around Kempton Park and the East Rand for the past three years, says this is a project that has always been close to her heart.
“The reason I have taken on this venture the past three years, is that I believe these children do not get the necessary oral help they deserve. It’s a project very close to my heart and in which I take pride in giving back to the community,” Herbst said.
On the day, Herbst treated 18 boys, aged 8-20, from the shelter, which is one of Kempton Park Child Welfare’s projects.
The boys were given a talk by Natisha Budhna, a representative for Colgate, on oral hygiene and how to prevent diseases from occurring by taking preventative measures such as brushing teeth regularly, flossing your teeth and other basics such as changing your toothbrush often and not sharing your toothbrush with anyone.
“What I do during the visits is I conduct a full mouth check-up to ensure there are no cavities. I also do the scale and polish their teeth. Once done, feedback is given to the child as well as the carer of the child. If cavities are found, an appointment is made in order to fill the necessary cavities,” Herbst said.
The boys were also shown a short video clip on dental health and were asked to answer a few questions after the lesson to see what they had learned.
“What my aim is, besides to just give the boys a check-up, is to teach them to take preventative measures against bad oral hygiene, to basically teach them how to avoid things like gum disease,”Herbst stressed.
She believes that as much as it is important to provide homeless children with the basics such as food and clothes, other aspects of their lives also need attention, such as dental care, which is crucial for everybody.
“This is something close to my heart and I really wish I could find other sponsors or even dentists who would be willing to chip in to help, as I am alone at this stage. I am also grateful to Colgate for agreeing to help.”
At the end of the day, the boys were each given hampers containing Colgate Total toothpaste and four information leaflets about dental health.
