● Protecting against cavities
At three years of age, our baby teeth (our first 20 teeth) will all come through. It is very easy for cavities to form on baby
teeth. This is why we see the number of children with tooth cavities increasing.

● What happens around this age?

Always keep in mind that mums and dads need to help out with brushing teeth at this age to keep teeth healthy and strong.

At 3 years of age, children can control their body well, and are mentally & emotionally rich. They are also beginningto feel the urge to be self-reliant, understand the importance of rules through interactions with friends and othergroups, and have learnt to protect and abide by these rules; they are taking their first step into societal life.
As an example, you will likely begin to see or experience many of the following:● They can run well, and can use
things like scissors● They want to “do everything on

Miyazaki Prefecture has one of the highest rates of cavities around the nation. Let’s
make sure everyone in the family keeps brushing their teeth!

● Speech keeps improving, andtheir own”, and don’t like being①How many children in Miyakonojo around 3 Years of age have cavities?

they can converse well

1 Year 6 Months Old Cavity Rate (%)

3 Year Old Cavity Rate (%)

helped by mum or dad.

Nationally● They want to learn about everything,● They enjoy playing with friends, and can play while
keeping to the rules and taking turns.

and keep asking “why”

MiyazakiPrefecture
Miyakonojo

2016

2017

2018

1.47

1.3

1.2

1.7

1.2

1.4

2.19

1.2

2.7

Nationally
MiyazakiPrefecture
Miyakonojo

2016

2017

2018

15.8

14.4

13.221.8

20.0

18.9

22.8

24.8

22.9

②How can I protect my child from caviƟes?
Tooth cavities are the result of interactions between tooth enamel, food and cavity-inducing bacteria accumulating over time.
There are ways to help prevent cavities relating to each of these. Let’s do what we can to fight cavities!

● Recommended games to play

Brushing your teeth

Adding Fluorine

Make sure to brush their teeth after meals
and before bed.
Picture Books

Slightly longer tales with a fullstory, or with main charactersthey can empathise withbecome favourites.

DrawingPlaying with sandFreely creating and drawing
can instill your child with thedesire to express themselves.

Riding a Tricycle

Childrenwill
gradually
become capable of vigorous
activity, or activities that
require full body balance.

Avoiding Accidents

Collecting things

Observing and selecting
items improves their ability
toacknowledge
andclassify what they see.

At 3 years of age, there is a higher risk of accidents by the water and traffic-related accidents. Have a quick think about yourdaily life, and check to see if any of the things listed below need changing.

● Accidents by the water□Make sure there is always an adult nearby when playing in the water□Keep an eye on children when playing by the water’s edge●

●Accidents near roadsides and playgrounds□Teach them how to use playground equipment（Always be wary that they could fall over or fall down from high places!）□Keep an eye on them as they play, and be on the lookout for danger
Traffic Accidents□Always hold their hand when walking near or on the road
□When using your car, don’t move away from the car whilst leaving them in their seat□Always use a child seat

As young children may not be able to do agood job on their own, make sure an adult

Cavityinducing
Bacteria

Fluorine helps make teeth stronger, remove

Teeth &EnamelCavities

checks in and helps them out.
If your child doesn’t like being helped out,
work from the back teeth to the front. As theMeals &Snacks

cavity-inducing bacteria, and generally helps
prevent cavities from forming.
Fluorine treatments, as well as fluorine-added
toothpastes and mouthwash are commerciallyavailable.

front teeth have a connection to the lips,
many children dislike contact from atoothbrush there; gently using your finger onthese teeth is enough.

A balanced diet and smarter snacks①Make sure your child learns to chew well
②Avoid sweets where possible③Give snacks at a ﬁxed ƟmeAfter eating or drinking sweet food or drink, or when snacking throughout the day, cavity-inducing
bacteria build over time, leading to an increased risk of cavities forming.

Key Points
・If you cannot brush teeth after a meal, drinking non-sweetened water or tea is also effective.
・Foods such as root crops (lotus root, burdock, carrot, etc.) and seafood often require more chewing.

●Daily Life and Habits

At 3 years of age, your child will want to do everything on their own, from going to the toilet to changing theirclothes, brushing their teeth, washing their hands, and eating; just like all of the adults around them (with just

● Please check your Maternal & Child Health Handbook(母子手帳、Boshi Techō) for vaccination information.

a little bit of help here and there!)

The most effective way to protect your child from communicable diseases is preventative vaccination.

It’s important at this stage to build a “regular lifestyle rhythm throughout the home”. From the time theyTake a look at your Maternal & Child Health book, and if there are any vaccinations that you have yet towake until they go to bed, having a fixed time that everything happens will make going about your day easier.

complete, please do so as soon as possible.

♪Look for things you can do at home at a particular time of day♪
For Example:
・Carrying dishes after meals

・Putting their clothes in the basket

・Serving themselves food・Hanging & drying your towels

・Getting themselves dressed in the morning

・Getting the newspaper

・Cleaning up toys when time is up

Consultations for Concerned Parents~Raising children through the helping hands of the community~

etc.

They will love being praised for helping out the family, so praise them often!

●Meals & Snacks

My child is a really
picky eater…

Is it strange that I
don’t enjoy childraising?

~Making snacks the “Fourth Meal”~

Things to remember when preparing meals…

It’s nice that they’re
lively, but they neverstop!

I feel my child was slow tostart talking, but are things
fine the way they are…?

Point 1: Remember to keep your seasoning mild

There’s things I want to talkto someone about, butwhere should I go?

Where should we get ourvaccinations done?

・In order to help develop their sense of taste, keep seasonings mild.
・Keeping seasoning mild will also help prevent lifestyle disorders in the future.

Point 2: Make use of healthy, in-season produce full of flavor and nutrients
・The flavours in such produce is strong enough to taste, even when mild.

We seem to have differences inpersonality, but how much should
I worry about it?

They never seem tolisten to what I say!

Things to remember when preparing snacks…
Point 1: Decide on when and how much
・Make sure to not snack slowly across the day. This leads to the increased formation of cavities.
・Make sure snacks don’t impact on main meals.
・Make sure there are times when you don’t eat. Always being full leads to a decreased appetite and under-eating.

There are many things that you may be worried about as a parent. Should

Point 2: Consider snacks like a meal

you ever be concerned, please feel free to come and talk to us. One of・Snacks can be used as an opportunity to balance out carbohydrates, sugars, vitamins, minerals, and other forms of nutrition.

our public health nurses or nutritionists will be made available to you.

・Where possible, avoid snacks that are high in sugar or oil.

♪

Try it at home

Ingredients: serves 5 people

3-4 Potatoes (~400g)
6 Tablespoons potato starch (60g)
Filling
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (36g)
4 Tablespoons Sugar (36g)3 Tablespoons Water (45g)
1 + 1/3 teaspoons potato starch (4.5g)『Potato Dango』♪

Consultations Regarding Child Raising (Japanese Only)
Miyakonojo-shi Hoken Centre

Method:(City Centre, within Mallmall)①Peel potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces, and boil. When soft, add tocolander and drain, then return to pot and mash.
②Add potato starch and mix, knead well and form into 3cm balls.
③Line along a baking tray or in your oven, and lightly cook until wellgolden or slightly charred.
④Add to a small pot the Filling, mix while simmering, then use to coat ③

Higashi-bu Hoken Centre(Takajō Hoken Centre)
Nishi-bu Hoken Centre(Takazaki Fukushi Hoken Centre)☎36-5661☎58-6800☎

62-4411

You can call or visit us anytime, whether you have an upcoming medical checkup or not.
Try making these dango together with your child!

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.