Teacher background notes: The teacher should read and understand the information provided in this section and then present it to the group in the most appropriate way. This may mean inviting a guest speaker, using a reference book, developing handouts, providing demonstrations etc. There are a number of activities in the section that will assist to reinforce learning.

Body Hygiene

Good personal hygiene is a strategy we can use to help us to remain healthy. It is only one of the strategies we will talk about in this course. Good personal hygiene, healthy habits, a balanced diet and a clean environment are all things you can put in place for yourself and in your town or village to prevent disease.

When you become an adult you are responsible for looking after your own body. Your mother and father no longer have the responsibility so you need to know how to care for your body to stop getting sick. A body that is hygienic (clean) will develop better resistance to disease and reduce risk of infections.

In addition to staying well, good personal hygiene will make you smell better, feel better and be a good friend to have around! It is important to get to know the parts of the body and where they are located.

 Activity 1.1.

Getting to know the human body 

Ask participants to identify body parts individually on the chart in their workbook. Then the class reviews the chart and talks about the parts of the body that are responsible for getting rid of waste.

 Activity 1.2

 What are some of the ways our body has of getting rid of waste and substances we do not need? 

Have participants brainstorm together as a group. There is a copy of this table in the participant workbook (Answers are supplied here for teachers’ reference.)

 When the substances are out of the body we need to clean the substances away and get rid of them. We do this by cleaning our bodies and our clothing to destroy the waste.

 Activity 1.3

 Why do we clean the substances mentioned in the last activity away from our bodies? 

Have participants work together in pairs to fill in the blanks and then come together as a group to discuss. There is a copy of this table in the participant workbook (Answers are supplied here for teachers’ reference.)

Activity 1.4.

 Match the pictures to the words by drawing a line to connect the picture to the words that describe it

Cleaning of clothes and bedding is very important. When washing clothing and bedding here are some very important steps to remember.

• Use clean water to clean your clothes, sheets, towels and pillowcases.
• Running water is best, but if you do not have running water change the water when it looks dirty.
• Use soap or washing powder if it is available.
• If you have no soap rub the washing with some clean sand or some smooth rocks to remove food spills and stains.
• Use a strong scrubbing action to loosen dirt and bacteria.
• Rinse in running water or clean rinsing water.
• Hang your washing in the sunshine to dry.
• If it is raining hang the washing where there is cover and plenty of air and wait until it is completely dry.
• When clothes are dry fold them and put them on a shelf or in a cupboard that is above the floor.
• If clean clothes become damp or smelly wait for a sunny day and hang them out again to freshen them up.

Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene means keeping the mouth, teeth and gums healthy. Keeping teeth and gums clean is important for many reasons.

• Good Health. Infection from a bad tooth can spread to other parts of the body.
• Good speech. Your tongue and lips touching your teeth help you to speak clearly.
• Good eating. Your teeth break food into small pieces so you can swallow and digest it better.
• Good looks. Healthy teeth make an attractive face and smile.
• Good breath. Food left on the teeth and in the mouth will make your breath smell bad.
• Healthy gums. Gums fit tightly around the teeth and keep them in place. You need strong gums to stop teeth from falling out.

Natural foods that are grown in the ground like vegetables and fruit are better for your teeth than processed foods that are bought at the shops. Many processed foods have a lot of sugar which is damaging to teeth. When sugar combines with the natural plaque that builds up on your teeth it creates a strong acid that can make a hole into the tooth. Plaque is that ‘furry feeling’ that is on your teeth when you have not cleaned them.

Small holes in teeth can be filled by the dentist but often there is no dentist or they are too expensive. The hole gets bigger and the tooth can become very sore. This is because the hole may go through the tooth and into a nerve. Sometimes the tooth will come out because it has become rotten, but the person experiences a lot of pain in a rotten tooth before it comes out.

Activity 1.5

Good dental hygiene

Ask participants to respond to these questions: (Brainstorm together) Discuss the answers.

•  How do we keep our teeth clean?
• If there is no toothbrush available how do we clean the teeth and also clean between the teeth?

Ask participants to, before the next lesson, purchase a tooth brush or make one from the natural things that are available in the bush. Ask them to clean their teeth each day and make a note of how their teeth feel different when they are clean.

Prevention of decay and gum disease

If you want your teeth to last for the rest of your life you must take care of them and prevent decay and gum disease. Here are some ways to help look after your teeth:

• avoid sticky sweet foods. The sugar turns into acid in the mouth and makes holes in the teeth.
• chew foods like sugarcane, coconut, pandanus and corn to clean your teeth
• clean your teeth well each morning and at night before you go to bed. Use toothpaste if it is available, but clean water and a good scrub is also very good.

 Activity 1.6

 Tooth disease and decay

 Discuss these questions in pairs and then as a class group

• Why would people living in town have more tooth decay than people living in a village?
• How does chewing corn help to clean your teeth?
•  Who has experienced a toothache? What did it feel like? Did it go away?
• What are the traditional remedies for toothache and do they work?