By the Roots
6th Grade: Possible Effects from Smokeless Tobacco
By Phil Ford

Materials: Mr. Gross Mouth typodont and Tobacco sample.

Purpose: The oral health objective in this learning module is to educate children about the dangers of smokeless tobacco by showing them what happens to your body that is exposed to long term tobacco use.

Mr. Gross Mouth typodont and a sample of tobacco leaves for 6th Grade module.

Time Limits: This lab is usually taught along with two other oral health lessons so time is critical. Although each oral health lesson in this module could be taught independently of each other. This lesson should last approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Part One:Cavity Growth
• We have three types of teeth:
Incisors – For cutting
Canine – For biting
Molars – For chewing
•Because we have molars we are to chew our food before we swallow. Most of the time we only spend a few minutes actually chewing of food at each meal and we normally will drink something with our meals. So most foods stay in our mouth for a short period of time.
•There is a greater chance that if you are going to get a cavity you will get a cavity in a molar tooth than in incisors and canine teeth. It is because food can sit on top of the molars like your books sit on top of your desk.
• The muscles in our jaws are some of the strongest in the body and because they are so strong they cause the food particles to get squeezed into the deep fossas of the teeth.
• Food left in the fossas after not brushing very well can turn into enamel eating bacteria and makes a cavity in the occlusal surface of the molars.
•Show the students the container of tobacco juice and tobacco leaves and tell them that this container has enamel eating bacteria inside.

Part Two:Possible Effects of Smokeless Tobacco
• Pass the typodont around the classroom to let all the students see the cavities, gum recession, and mouth cancers.
• Allow the students to touch the tongue and raise it up to see the large mouth cancer near the lower teeth.
• Point out the recessing gum lines and the falling teeth from the gums.
• Discuss how the bacteria in the tobacco juice affects all of the teeth on the sides as well as their occlusal surface
• Discuss mouth cancer and treatment (Surgery and tissue grafts). Cancer growths will not hurt because they grow their own cells. Ulcers will be sore and be irritated but should get better in a few days.
• Cancer cells will usually start in the area where most of the contact is happening. (Between lips and gums for snuff users or between cheek and gums for chewing tobacco users.
• Discuss monthly self-examination for cancer.
• Cancer that is left untreated or gets into lymph glands may result in early death.