Rachel’s roundup: Motivating kids through reading

I was lucky enough in the summer to be asked to do a book review of “Open Wide What’s Inside” it’s aimed at children for the purpose of educating them as to why we should brush our teeth and reduce the amount of sugar we consume.

I have been an oral health educator for four years now and I do like to look for books that are suitable for children for the purpose of reading in the waiting lounge, in surgery or during community awareness sessions.

I am also mum to two young girls Olivia who is six and Seren who is three.
Open wide what’s inside provided a great bedtime reading session. The use of language and pictures was spot on for six year old Olivia.

The authors have been really clever in their tale of the sugar bugs who fill themselves up on the foods that we eat then when they have big fat bellies they need to Poo!

” on top of your leftovers, which look like furry goo, there’s now a pile of eye-wateringly stinky poo. Its nasty stuff. It drips and runs down your teeth onto your gums. And unless you brush them twice a day on your teeth that poo will stay”

It then goes on to tell the reader how brushing twice a day will find those sugar bugs and chase them away, as well reiterating the importance of visiting a dentist. The book also includes some interesting facts for the older reader.

The book had a big impact on my six year old, not only did it provide giggles and screams of yuk! But the message remained with her. She was able to discuss with me what the sugar bugs do and how to fight them, which did make her more enthusiastic about toothbrushing and understood why we have to do it instead of “because I said so”.

I’ve found it useful to give to mums to entertain younger siblings while I deliver oral health education to the older child and the feedback was great they really enjoyed reading it and found they understood more themselves.

My only criticism I would give, is I feel it should be bigger, more of a board book, currently it’s quite small, I think the pictures would have a greater impact and also the font used would be easier for a child to read if in larger type.

So if your looking for a great children’s book that will also deliver important oral health messages then I would recommend this one.

Rachel

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