On Saturday, May 21, Maud van Gageldonk (Colgate) presented the 50,000th cleaning package to Marleen van der Waal (het Vogelnest). Since 2007, hundreds of thousands of Keep your mouth healthy! lessons have been given throughout the country with the cleaning packages. During these lessons, primary school children are taught in a light-hearted manner about the mouth and teeth, brushing teeth, cavities and the seven eating and drinking moments. Oral care professionals and teachers can register to teach a lesson and then receive a cleaning package. A brushing package contains materials to practice brushing in the classroom and leaflets for parents with tips for a healthy child's mouth. 

Healthy teeth at a young age are decisive for the future
The education project Keep your mouth healthy! was initiated and developed by the Ivory Cross, the Dutch Association for Oral Health. Those who have healthy teeth at a young age often keep them that way. You can have and maintain healthy teeth by brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and eating and drinking no more than seven times a day.
Marleen van der Waal: 'I am proud that I received the 50,000th package on behalf of all volunteers. As a volunteer, I was able to teach a Keep your mouth healthy! lesson. It is great to make a positive contribution in this way to the attention for oral health of children and their parents.'

Project successful thanks to voluntary dental care provider
Hans Prakken, board member of Ivoren Kruis, is proud that with the use of 50,0000 cleaning packages, around 1,500,000 children have already been taught knowledge about the mouth and teeth and have received an unforgettable brushing experience. Just as many parents have been informed about the importance of brushing their teeth properly. 'Children talk about a cleaning lesson for a long time. Such a white coat in class makes an impression and that experience also comes home. We were only able to achieve this success thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of thousands of volunteer dentists, dental hygienists, (prevention) assistants, students, GGD employees and teachers. And our partner Colgate-elmex who made many thousands of toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste available.'

Reducing caries and dental erosion
The aim of the teaching project is to promote a healthy mouth by reducing caries (cavities) and tooth erosion and encouraging dental visits. Many parents do not know that a visit to the dentist or dental hygienist is included in basic insurance and is therefore free for children up to the age of 18. The Ivory Cross also wants to create awareness among primary school children of their own influence on their (oral) health. Children who learn the right attitude, knowledge and skills to take good care of their teeth and mouth are also more skilled at prevention and self-care in preventing more serious preventable diseases.