Maternal and child health nurses
The Maternal and Child Health Service plays a critical role in promoting healthy outcomes for children, including oral health. The information below provides an overview of some of the programs and resources available to maternal and child health nurses to support their work in promoting good oral health in early childhood.
Oral health promotion programs
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 | Healthy Families, Healthy Smiles is a Dental Health Services Victoria initiative aimed at improving the oral health of Victorian children aged 0–3 years and pregnant women. |
 Learn more about Healthy Families, Healthy Smiles | |
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Resources for maternal and child health nurses
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| A resource to assist Maternal and Child Health Nurses in their health promotion, prevention, early detection and intervention role. |
 Read TEETH: Oral Health Information for Maternal and Child Health Nurses [PDF - 5,452 KB]
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| A parent engagement resource to support oral health promotion with clients during Key Ages and Stages visits |
| Read the Little Teeth Book
[PDF - 3,630 KB]
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Early childhood oral health milestones and key messages | |
| A simple resource which enables prompt access of oral health milestones and corresponding take home messages for families |
| Read the key messages
[PDF - 32 KB]
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| Lift the lip – a quick technique to check the health of children’s teeth. It is part of the Commonwealth Healthy Kids Check, and is included in the RACGP Guidelines for Clinical Preventative Activities in GP Practice as part of the general physical examination of children. |
 View the lift the lip video
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| ABC Radio Melbourne video on how to clean a toddlers teeth. |
| View the ABC Radio Melbourne video
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A guide to the “Baby teeth need cleaning too” initiative | |
| A guide to the 2018-2019 “Baby teeth need cleaning too!” initiative to support MCH nurses in their encouragement of families to promote early tooth brushing for their children.. |
| Read the "Baby teeth need cleaning too" initiative guide
[PDF - 2.94MB]
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Resources for your clients
| Checking for tooth decay
[PDF - 704 KB]
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| Tooth tips 0–12 months fact sheet
[PDF - 292 KB] Supports delivery of the oral health components of the Key Ages and Stages framework. | 
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| Tooth tips 12–18 months fact sheet
[PDF - 304 KB] Supports delivery of the oral health components of the Key Ages and Stages framework. | |
| Tooth tips 18 months - 6 years [PDF
-299 KB] Supports delivery of the oral health components of the Key Ages and Stages framework. | |
| Looking after your child's mouth, teeth and gums
[PDF - 702 KB]
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| How to brush your child's teeth guide [PDF - 669 KB]
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| Translated oral health information
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| Full DHSV resource library
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Useful links
| People without fluoride in their drinking water
[DHSV]
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| Teeth and pregnancy [Better
Health Channel]
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| Children and dummies [Better
Health Channel]
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| Thumb sucking [Better Health
Channel]
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| Young children - dental checks
[Better Health Channel]
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| Young children - oral conditions
[Better Health Channel]
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| Young children - teeth development
[Better Health Channel]
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| Teething [Better Health Channel]
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| Young children - tooth decay
[Better Health Channel]
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| Tooth loss in children [Better
Health Channel]
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| Tooth brushing - children [Better
Health Channel]
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| Newborns [Raising Children Network]
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| Babies [Raising Children Network]
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| Toddlers [Raising Children Network]
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| Pre-schoolers [Raising Children Network]
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| Tooth decay [Raising Children Network]
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| Children's teeth - how to brush [Raising
Children Network]
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| The Australian Dietary Guidelines and Infant Feeding Guidelines |
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Related pages
| Pregnant women | ||
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