Resources to Make you Smile!

December 10, 2024
 

December 2024 | Issue No. 46

The Impact of Stress on Oral Health

Welcome to Resources to Make You Smile! This monthly newsletter features information and tools Head Start staff can use to help families promote good oral health. These tips help Head Start staff support families, expectant parents, and children. The newsletter also includes a recipe for a healthy snack that children can make in a Head Start classroom or at home with their families.

Stress and Oral Health

 

Photo of a teddy bear.

 

Stress is a reaction to a physical, psychological, or emotional demand. Everyone has felt stress at one time or another. Some stress is good because it pushes us to do things that are challenging and meet the demands of daily life. However, too much stress can have a negative short- and long-term impact on children’s and adult’s health, including their oral health.

Resources for Head Start Staff

Discovering the Impact of Stress on Oral Health
Read this tip sheet to learn more about how stress affects oral health. Discover strategies Head Start staff can use to help children and adults manage stress.

Managing Stress
Explore resources to learn more about stress-management strategies and techniques that can be used in Head Start programs, at home, and in the community.

Resources for Parents

Share these resources with parents to help manage stress and support social and emotional well-being.

Managing Stress with Mindful Moments
These videos show how breathing and movement strategies can help children calm big emotions.

Supporting Social and Emotional Well-being
Social and emotional well-being is the foundation for early childhood mental health. Explore these resources to learn more about it.

Reducing Stress
Learn how stress is part of life and how it can impact you and your children. Discover steps you can take to care for yourself and reduce stress.

Cook’s Corner Recipe: Homemade Tomato Soup

 

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can peeled diced tomatoes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14 ounce can low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)

Directions

1.     In a pot over a medium heat, stir oil, onions, and garlic until soft (about 3 minutes).

2.      Add tomatoes, broth, and basil (optional) and bring to a boil.

3.     Reduce the heat and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 6 servings
Safety tip: To prevent injuries, an adult should cut the ingredients and supervise use of the stove.

 

Photo of tomato soup.

Stay Connected!

Join MyPeers to connect with Head Start and early childhood colleagues around the country on this and other topics. Members of the Health, Safety, and Wellness community are currently networking, sharing, and learning from each other. Find it under "All Communities" and select the blue "Join" button.

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We Want to Hear from You!

Send your questions or comments to the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety at [email protected] or (toll-free) 888-227-5125.
 
URL: 
https://www.mchoralhealth.org/