By Town Crier Staff

Why is it important to brush right after eating candy? Why is flossing such a big deal?

Kids in Karen Foley’s second-grade class found out when dentist Sandy Arita and four dental hygenists from the Foothill College Dental Hygiene program visited their Bubb School classroom last Friday.

Local dentists and the Foothill hygiene department marked their 10th year visiting classrooms as part of February’s dessignation as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Leading the effort has been Dr. Ken Horowitz, head of the hygiene program. He recalled starting the schools outreach effort after hearing from Mountain View Councilwoman Mary Lou Zoglin about a need to educate children about dental health.

“It’s been paying off because the school nurse is seeing fewer and fewer kids with toothaches,” Horowitz said.

Horowitz, also a Foothill College instructor in biological sciences, said attitudes and habits established at an early age are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout life.

“We have been offering this program of preventive health awareness education to students in the Los Altos and Mountain View area since 1992,” Horowitz said.

Approximately 40 hygenists and 10 dentist reached out to eight Mountain View schools this year, Horowitz said. Last year, dental teams visited eight Los Altos schools.

“We show them how to brush teeth, what’s health and unhealthy, and the importance of brushing teeth right after eating candy,” Horowitz said.

For the first time, dental teams also made their way this year into East Palo Alto schools to spread the good word about healthy teeth.

“It’s making a difference,” Horowitz said.