I enjoyed writing this book because, as a dad, getting our son Edzazii to brush his teeth has become so important for all of us. I didn’t know until I started researching this project that baby teeth are placeholders for adult teeth and we want to keep all of our teeth at every stage of our life for as long as possible. I learned that children usually start to lose their baby teeth between the ages of 6-12. I did not know that baby teeth help you with pronunciation, and I did not know that your oral health is part of your overall health. What this means is your doctor and dental hygienist can often spot symptoms of a larger issue in your mouth.

Not all communities have access to a permanent dentist or dental team. Not every community has access to fluoride in their water. But what all families can do is get their kids brushing for two minutes twice a day and flossing. When you brush and floss, you are the boss of your own oral health.