Somerset Primary Care Dental Service has teamed up with students at Bridgwater College and a Somerset video production company to produce a new educational DVD for the learning disabled and young children about caring for their teeth.
The 13 minute animated film Teeth: the musical aims to help viewers have a better understanding of the importance of brushing and caring for their teeth. Working with Somerset-based video production company JUMPcuts, students from Bridgwater College, who are participating in the 'Towards independence' course, were given the task of making a film which would explain why brushing and care of their teeth is important.
The film features a young boy called Fred as he avoids a visit to the dentists. We see the reaction of his teeth, which talk and sing about the way he fails to brush his teeth or go to the dentist. Songs like Acid attack are included, where Fred's teeth warn him what will happen if he has too many sugary snacks or fizzy drinks, and Fred gets the clean teeth message in the end.
Rob Munday, Clinical Director of the Somerset Primary Care Dental Service, explained, 'Our oral health promotion team are skilled at developing innovative ideas into award-winning projects to improve the oral health especially of children and adults with additional needs. We think we have produced a winner which communicates an old message in a fresh and somewhat surreal way which not only will appeal to the peers of the young people who produced it, but with its colourful animation and catchy songs will break through preconceived ideas about oral health and bring a smile to all who view it.'
The Dental Service will be circulating free copies of the DVD to local special needs schools and facilities supporting the learning disabled, but also hope to promote the film as an educational aid to mainstream primary schools and children's centres in Somerset and beyond.
Organisations interested in a copy of the DVD should contact the Somerset Primary Care Dental Service on 01278 436622 or email
