"Dr. Happy Tooth Gets Down In The Mouth"
A Super-Hero Comic Book Teaching Kids About Good Dental Hygiene!

(News article, Berkeley, CA, March 21, 1996)

Dr. Happy Tooth's message in the new book, Dr. Happy Tooth Gets Down in Your Mouth, is clear: don't be afraid to visit your dentist on a regular basis, and brush and floss regularly to get clean breath and reduce cavities and plague.

The comic book, which is available through PSP, Oakland, CA, tells the story of Chomper, who visits the dentist for a check-up and a cleaning at the encouragement of his friends (he has pretty bad breath!) He's reluctant because he thinks it's going to hurt.

Although his friends and the dentist assures him that it won't hurt, he still fights it. The dentist changes to his secret identity, Dr. Happy Tooth, and reduces himself and Chomper's friends to the size of teeth, taking them on a magical visit throught Chomper's mouth. There, he shows them why Chomper has bad breath -- a cavity, puffy gums and lots of tarter adn plaque. he deomonstrates how to clean and floss and when he's done, they all come out and magically reappear their original size. Chomper now has a cool and tingly mouth with a bright, clean smile. They take some x-rays and catch the beginning of a cavity -- and they stop it in its track, before it can do further harm. Chomper now realizes why it's important to visit the dentist regularly and why it's vital to brush and floss everyday. He also learns the moral of the story: it's not the visit to the dentist that hurts, but the cavities. And Chomper is no longer afraid to go to the dentist. As soon as Chomper realizes this, the dentist magically reappears and tells them, "every dentist has a little of Dr. Happy Tooth inside of them, so they never have to be afraid."

The comic book concludes with a message to parents about baby bottle decay, sealants and flouride.