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Lift the Lip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lift the Lip is part of the Designed to Smile training sessions provided to health visiting teams. Lift the Lip is an oral health assessment tool that requires parents/guardians to visually examine the upper anterior teeth of their preschool children in the presence of health professionals, to identify signs of early childhood caries. It is intended to be used while delivering preventive advice, and encouraging and facilitating attendance to clinical dental services. Lift the Lip in Wales is designed to strengthen the oral health promotion role of health visitors.

Key points:

  • Baby teeth are important
  • Preventing tooth decay is easier than treating it
  • Decay happens very quickly in baby teeth
  • The earlier decay is detected, the better the outcome will be
  • Check your child’s teeth at home frequently
  • Take your child to a dentist regularly, ideally as soon as their first teeth appear

The purpose of Lift the Lip is to:

  • demonstrate how and encourage parents to frequently check their child’s teeth for signs of tooth decay
  • highlight individual risk of dental caries and give specific prevention advice
  • emphasise the importance of good oral health behaviours
  • assess individual need for attendance to dental services, and facilitate that attendance

To receive Lift the Lip training and resources, contact your local Designed to Smile team.