MARYSVILLE – They don’t even have wisdom teeth yet, but about 40 kids are wiser about dental health after a free visit Friday.

The Give Kids A Smile event was the first put on at Puget Sound Pediatric Dentistry-Marysville. Dentist Jenny-Lee Kramer said they did it to help fill the gap between those who can’t afford insurance and those who can’t get state help. Their consultations about preventive care educated the parents, too.

“Parents don’t know where to go for resources,” Kramer said. “They often don’t know how important it is until it’s too late.”

Tracy Sundby, the business manager, said many families don’t have insurance, and, “They need the most help.”

She said they work with patients, and they take state insurance, while many others don’t.

“We don’t want finances to keep people away from care,” she said. “Many should see a dentist but can’t afford it.”

Precia Edwards added, “It’s a lot more costly,” if you don’t do preventive care.

She much of the effort had to do with education.

So staff counseled kids and parents about not having things like sugary juices and raisins – things they may think are somewhat healthy.

“The parents were really appreciative,” Sundby said.

Education is so important that they actually go into schools.

“Dental health matters,” Sundby said, adding they also invite schools in for field trips to get “rides in the chairs.”

The office decided to host the event when their supplier told them about it and said they would pay for the supplies.

They started out busy and were finished in a few hours.

“They do have fewer teeth,” she said with a laugh.

For some of the kids, it was their first trip to a dentist. The staff made it fun, giving each kid a balloon and sack full of goodies, like a toothbrush and toothpaste.

“Yea, we spoiled them,” Sundby said.

Dentist Christopher Lugo also participated.

“Preventive care is critical to maintaining good dental health and overall well-being, and we will continue to participate in efforts to help those who need it,” Lugo said in a news release. “But we can’t do it alone. We need to build public and private partnerships at the state and local levels to come up with solutions to help improve access to oral health.”

Pediatric home care tips

Birth to 1 year:

•After each feeding, wipe your baby’s gums and teeth with a damp washcloth or gauze, especially before they sleep.

•Avoid nursing children to sleep; put only water in bed-time bottle.

•Never sweeten a pacifier.

1 to 4 years:

•Brush 2-3 times a day; floss once teeth are touching.

•Brush the tongue lightly

•Children need assistance until age 8.

•Avoid frequent snacking; rinse when you can’t brush.

•Drink water; save milk and juice for meals.

•Eat healthy snacks; avoid sticky foods.