Dentist gives healthy teeth tips


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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .A group of Union girls showed off their decorated Clarencedale cupcakes, and smiled about the beauty of their edible works of art.

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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Dental hygienist Angie Snyder (back) and dentist Phil Snyder (right) showed a group of third-grade students a visual aid explaining how to keep their teeth healthy, focusing on eating good foods, brushing and flossing, and visiting their dentist every six months.

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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Dentist Phil Snyder (left) checked out the chompers of fourth-grade student Sean Phillips (center) in a demonstration of what kids can expect during a visit to the dentist.

By SARAH FOOR

sfoor@vindy.com

During the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, kids will likely be enjoying loads of sweet treats.

So, Dentist Phil Snyder and his dental hygienist wife, Angie Snyder, who practice in Boardman, visited St. Christine School on Oct. 28 to teach the school’s third- and fourth-graders about the importance of mouth and teeth health during the holidays with an informative presentation.

“I don’t want to tell you not to eat Halloween candy or dessert during the holidays,” explained Snyder. “I want you to have fun and be safe after you’re done by properly cleaning and taking care of your teeth.”

The Snyders taught proper care by telling the students to eat healthy fruits and vegetables, floss and brush thoroughly, and urged them to see a dentist every six months. The kids were told to expect to have a cleaning, an X-ray and a count of their teeth completed every time they go in for a dental checkup.

The team also explained that dentists wear goggles, masks and gloves to protect themselves as well as their patients from harmful germs.

To make sure that the students understood the concepts, the Snyders welcomed volunteers to perform tasks for their peers.

Students confidently displayed that they knew how to brush the front, back and gum line of their teeth, and two students in each classroom even played doctor and patient to show that the dentist is nothing to be scared of.

“Students always want to know how I help people out as a dentist, and I say I just help with upkeep. It is really up to you to keep your mouth healthy by taking care of your teeth everyday,” Snyder shared.