What will happen?

• Bendigo Health Dental Services will visit your school from Monday 29^th July to Wednesday 31^st July 2019
• You will need to sign the consent form on the back of this letter so that we can see your child
• Your child will sit in a dental chair and dental staff will have a look in their mouth
• This is a quick way to check for major problems but will not replace a full check-up
• They will use a sterile mouth mirror and light
• Fluoride varnish will be applied unless you tick the box to say no to this
• We will do fun learning activities on the day
• All dental staff have ‘Working with Children Checks’
• We will try to visit your school every 6 months to reapply fluoride varnish

Why are we providing this service?

• A lot of children have tooth decay and gum disease
• We want to find any problems early

Why do we use fluoride varnish?

• We use fluoride varnish to help slow down any tooth decay
• It is made with fluoride, which is a natural mineral
• We will paint it on all of your child’s teeth to help make their teeth strong
• It does not cause any pain, it dries quickly, and has a mild taste
• We will ask the child to try to not eat or drink for 30 minutes
• Until it dries it can feel a bit sticky on their teeth
• For it to work best it should be used on your child’s teeth every 6 months
• Without fluoride varnish any tooth decay may get worse and cause pain
• Are there any risks?
  • Swallowing too much fluoride can be dangerous but the small amount we use on your child’s teeth will not reach toxic levels.
  • An ingredient in the varnish can cause an allergic reaction. Children with an allergy to rosin, colophony or sticking plaster, or who have been hospitalised with asthma or an allergy, should avoid the fluoride application.