KNOXVILLE, Tenn — The basics of healthy teeth and gums include brushing and flossing every day and visiting the dentist a couple times a year. It can be a message little kids don't really absorb.
Quiz: Do your kids know they should brush their teeth for two minutes for good oral health? Answer: Maybe not.
As a dentist, Cynthia Harman saw the root of the problem: Kids just don't know how to take care of their teeth.
"They were not educated on why you should brush, how often, what causes the cavities," she said.
She wanted to make the message more palatable than a how-to flyer so she created an oral health children's book: "The Adventures of Billy Molar: The S. Mutans Revolution."
The book begins with a bedtime story Billy's dad reads to him about cowboys. The story inspires a dream where the hero is a cowboy tooth, Doc Molar, and his trusty sidekick, Bristles.
"He'll use toothbrushes and fluoride to go and fight the bad guys. And the bad guys are the bacteria that causes the cavities," she said.
She is humbled and excited about the positive feedback from other dentists and parents. She enjoys the photos and stories they share. One in particular made her laugh.
"The son loves the potato chip bandit and runs around the house saying he's the potato chip bandit. He wants me to write another book about the potato chip bandit. But that's also a way for him to understand that potato chips, yes we all enjoy them, but what it can do to your teeth if you don't take care of your teeth," she said.
The book is available online and at some local bookstores and you may even see it at your dentist's office.
Cynthia Hartman has outlines for five more books.
"They all begin the same. The dad tells the little boy a bedtime story and then whatever that story is, it will be what he dreams about in the tooth world."
