A recent National Adult Literacy Survey showed that over 90 million people in the United States read at or below the eighth grade level. Twenty-one to 23% percent of people assessed scored at the level 1 range, meaning they read at or below a fifth grade level. Twenty-five to 28% percent scored at the level 2 range, meaning they read at about an eighth grade level. This equates to almost 50% of the test group being below average in literacy skills.

The implication of this in terms of health information literacy is that a majority of adults in the United States may lack the needed literacy skills to effectively use the U.S. healthcare system, especially given that routine health tasks, such as understanding prescription instructions, understanding consent forms or following doctor’s directions, often require more complex literacy skills than those needed to complete everyday tasks.

The purpose of this bibliography is to identify high-quality web-based, print, and audiovisual materials geared towards adults with limited literacy skills on the topics of preventive oral health care as well as oral health conditions and diseases. All text-based resources are written at a sixth grade reading level or below. Print and audiovisual materials may be viewed at Miami Dade College's Medical Center Campus Library.

Web Resources

When Your Tooth is Taken Out (from the Colorado Oral Health Network - 3rd grade reading level)

This website tells a story of how to care for your mouth after having a tooth taken out.

• English Version
  
• Spanish Version
  
• Russian Version
• French Version

• English Version
• Spanish Version
• Russian Version
• French Version

Dentures and Partials

Dental X-Rays (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Dental Veneers (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Amalgam Dental Fillings (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Print Resources

Healthy Smiles: Sealants (flyer) from the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, Adult Education Department - 6th grade reading level).

This brief flyer defines what sealants are and where you can get them.

Dental Sealants Help Prevent Tooth Decay (flyer) from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services - 4th grade reading level)

This flyer explains the process of getting sealants. It also describes the benefits of sealants and at what age children should get them. Some information is specific to the state of Maine.

Audiovisual Resources

Journey to a Great Smile (from PDC Press, Inc.)

This video for children and adults on orthodontics explains how braces work, what foods to eat and to avoid when you have braces, and how to clean your teeth and braces.

  English Language - DVD

Web Resources

Dental Office Manners (from the Colorado Oral Health Network - 4th grade reading level)

This website tells a story of how to behave correctly in a dentist's office, including keeping appointments, being on time, listening to instructions, and being nice to the people working in the office.
 

• English Version
• Spanish Version
• Russian Version
• French Version

Print Resources

Healthy Smiles: Visiting the Dentist (flyer) from the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, Adult Education Department - 6th grade reading level

This brief flyer covers why and how often you should take your child to the dentist. It also offers tips on how to make your child comfortable visiting the dentist.

Where There is No Dentist (book) by Murray Dickson - 4th grade reading level)

This book provides detailed information for a health worker on how to teach people in the community and children in a school setting about dental care. It also provides information about how to treat common dental problems when a dentist is not available. Lists the medicines, instruments, and other supplies that you should have in a dental kit. It also provides a vocabulary list of common dental terms.

    Also available on the web at http://healthwrights.org/books/WTINDentistonline.htm

Audiovisual Resources

A Trip to the Dentist Through Piñata's View ( from Boggle-Goggle Enterprises)
(DVD - Running Time 30:00)

This video uses puppet characters to help young children "practice" and prepare for their first trip to the dentist.

Web Resources

This website tells the story of the effects that diabetes can have on your teeth and gums and why it is important to see your dentist.

Diabetes and Your Teeth ( from the Colorado Oral Health Network - 4th grade reading level)

• English Version
• Spanish Version
• Russian Version
• French Version

Print Resources

This booklet teaches you about the teeth and gums problems caused by diabetes. Provides directions for things you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy, such as flossing, brushing, and visiting the dentist regularly. It also provides a listing of other sources of information on this topic.

Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy (booklet) (from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse - 5th grade reading level)

Also available on the web in English at
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_teeth/teeth.pdf


Also available in print in Spanish and on the web in Spanish at
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/complications_teeth/Teeth-SP.pdf

Web Resources

Plaque: What it is and How to Get Rid of It (from the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research - 6th grade reading level)

This website defines what plaque is and gives step by step instructions on how to floss and brush your teeth.

Print Resources

Healthy Smiles: Fluoride (flyer) (from the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, Adult Education Department - 6th grade reading level)

This brief flyer explains what fluoride is, what it does and where to get it.

Fluoride Facts for Parents (flyer) (from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services - 6th grade reading level)

This flyer discusses ways to get fluoride through water, in tablets, drops, or in vitamins. Some information is specific to the state of Maine.

GENERAL ORAL HEALTH CARE

Web Resources

Keep Your Teeth for Life (from the National Adult Literacy Database - 3rd grade reading level)

This website provides brief information on brushing your teeth, eating healthy foods, quitting smoking, caring for your baby's teeth, and caring for common dental problems, such as bleeding gums and chipped teeth.

• English Version
• French Version

Healthy Teeth and Gums Handout ( from the University of California, San Francisco Homeless Clinic - 1st grade reading level )

This website briefly explains why we need teeth and gums, the dangers of cavities and gum disease, and how to brush and floss your teeth to keep them healthy.            
                                                                                     

Care of Teeth (from the National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc. - 4th grade reading level)

This website provides brief directions on how to brush and floss your teeth.

• English Version
• Spanish Version

 

Mouth and Teeth: How to Keep Them Healthy (from the American Academy of Family Physicians - 5th grade reading level)

This website provides brief information for infants and children, teens, and adults on how to care for their teeth, including brushing your teeth, flossing your teeth, and visiting the dentist regularly.

• English Version
• Spanish Version

 

How Do We Care for Our Teeth? ( from the Maryland Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, Office of Oral Health - 4th grade reading level)                                                                                   

This website provides brief directions on how to brush and floss your teeth.  
   

Getting Older? Why Your Teeth and Gums are Important for Good Health ( from Healthy Roads Media)

Online Audio and Multimedia Program - Available in Arabic, Bosnian, English, Russian, and Spanish

 

How to Brush Your Teeth (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Toothpaste (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

 

What to do if a Tooth Gets Knocked Out (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Print Resources

The Toothpaste Secret (book) by Trisha E. O'Hehir - 5th grade reading level)

This cartoon book uses humor to discuss toothpaste, plaque, and tartar. It illustrates how to brush properly.

Oral Emergencies: What to Do (flyer) from the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, Adult Education Department - 2nd grade reading level

This flyer tells you what to do if a tooth is knocked out or broken or if the head or jaw is hit hard. It also tells you how to treat a toothache or cuts on the tongue, cheek, lips or gum.

also available on the web at  http://www.pafamilyliteracy.org/pafamilyliteracy/lib/pafamilyliteracy/HealthySmilesCurriculum.pdf  (page 41)

Healthy Smiles: Cavities (flyer) from the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, Adult Education Department  - 6th grade reading level

This brief flyer defines what a cavity is, what causes them, and how to prevent them.

Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide (booklet) from the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research - 6th grade reading level)

This booklet explains and shows a caregiver how to help someone brush, floss, and keep their mouth healthy. It discusses locations in the home where dental care can be provided. It also offers suggestions for how to deal with problem behavior. It also advises you how to position your body when cleaning someone else's mouth. It also describes the caregiver's role in helping someone visit the dentist.

also available on the web at
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/DF00E3F2-A757-4468-8C0B-6BEDEE960DBE/4476/caregiver.pdf

Things to Know About Medicine and Health (book) by Richard S. Kimball - 4th to 6th grade reading level)

Lesson 8 of this teacher's edition textbook provides information on how to teach others about getting dental care. It includes a short story about someone who has a toothache and visits the dentist. Following the story are vocabulary words and other comprehension exercises.

Decisions for Health (book) by Vivian Bernstein - 3rd to 4th grade reading level)

Chapter 10 of this textbook covers how to care for your teeth. This chapter covers how to prevent tooth decay and gum disease and defines what malocclusion is and why braces might be necessary. At the end of the chapter are vocabulary words and brief comprehension questions.

What to do for Healthy Teeth (book) by Sadie S. Mestman and Ariella D. Herman - 3rd to 5th grade reading level)

This comprehensive book covers the parts of the mouth, common teeth and gum problems, dental care and cleaning, healthy diets, pregnancy and oral health, oral health for children, common dental procedures, and dental emergencies. A glossary of vocabulary words is also provided.

Spanish version also available

Audiovisual Resources

Taking Care of Your Teeth and Gums (video) from the American Dental Association

This video shows you all the basics of preventive home dental care.  

• English Language - VHS - Running Time 5:00
• Spanish Language - VHS - Running Time 5:00
  
  

Brushing Magic with Dudley and Dee Dee (from the American Dental Association)

This video uses "magic" to teach children all about brushing and flossing.

• English Language - DVD - Running Time 7:00

Look Mom . . . No Cavities (from PDC Press, Inc.)

This video teaches why decay attacks kids teeth, the problems it can cause, and how to prevent it.

English Language - DVD - Running Time 30:00

Web Resources

Periodontal Disease (from the Colorado Oral Health Network - 5th grade reading level)

This website tells a story about the signs and symptoms of gum disease and what you can do to prevent or treat gum disease.

• English Version
• Spanish Version
  
• Russian Version
  
• French Version

Healthy Gums (from Family Health Radio)

Online Radio Program - Running Time 2:30

Print Resources

Keep Your Teeth for Life: Prevent Gum Disease (flyer) from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services - 2nd grade reading level)

This flyer provides a checklist to see if you have gum disease. It also explains what causes gum disease and how to prevent it.

Moms with Gum Problems (flyer) from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services - 5th grade reading level)

This flyer explains how gum problems can affect your unborn baby and what you can do to prevent these problems.

Web Resources

X-Plain Cold Sores (from the Patient Education Institute, Inc. - 6th grade reading level)

This website explains what cold sores are, the signs and stages of a cold sore, the diagnosis and treatment of cold sores, and how to prevent future outbreaks.

also available as a multimedia tutorial at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coldsores/htm/_no_50_no_0.htm

Dry Mouth (from NIHSeniorHealth )

This website explains what dry mouth is, what causes it and how it is treated. The text size, contrast and speech may be adjusted.

Print Resources

Do You Have Dry Mouth? (flyer) from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services - 4th grade reading level)

This flyer defines what dry mouth is and offers tips on what you can do to treat dry mouth.

Web Resources

Be Smart. Be Safe. Wear Gear (from Share the Care, Dental Health Initiative of San Diego - 6th grade reading level)

This website instructs you on what safety gear to wear to keep your teeth safe. It also contains a listing of the kinds of things you should keep in a dental first aid kit in case of emergency.

Print Resources

Mouthguards: Don't Play Without One (flyer) from the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services- 4th grade reading level)

This flyer explains who should wear mouthguards and how to choose the right mouthguard. It also shows that the cost of mouthguards is less than the expense of treating dental injuries.

Web Resources

Nutrition on Your Own . . . Your Baby's Beautiful Teeth (from the Texas Dept. of State Health Services - 6th grade reading level)

This website offers a short quiz that will help you learn how to take care of your baby's teeth. It includes questions on the best fluids for your baby to drink, when you should take your baby off the bottle, and the importance of baby teeth.

Audiovisual Resources

Dudley and Dee in Nutritionland (from the American Dental Association)

DVD - Running Time 6:00

This video teaches young children about food groups and dental health.

Web Resources

Oral Cancer (from the Colorado Oral Health Network)

This website tells the story of a man who was diagnosed with oral cancer and how it was treated. It also explains that tobacco use can increase your chances of getting oral cancer.

• English Version
• Spanish Version
• Russian Version
• French Version

Web Resources

Good Dental Habits Begin with Breastfeeding (from the Texas Dept. of State Health Services, Women, Infants & Children Program - 6th grade reading level)

This website explains the importance of breastfeeding for giving your baby strong teeth and jaws.

Healthy Teeth: Bright Smiles (from The Children's Health Fund - 1st grade reading level)

This website shows how to brush and floss and other ways to keep your mouth safe and clean, such as eating healthy and visiting the dentist.

Your Baby's Teeth (from the Colorado Oral Health Network - 5th grade reading level)

This website tells a story of how to take care of a baby's teeth, including wiping the gums and not sleeping with a bottle. 

• English Version
• Spanish Version
• Russian Version
• French Version