Ingrid Perry, the prevention lead at Mydentist Stonebow, and Carrie Regis, oral health area champion at Mydentist, are gearing up for a charity cycle, ‘Miles for Smiles’. The pair hopes to raise money to provide toothbrushes and toothpaste to children who live in areas of social deprivation.
Ingrid commented, “Many children living in areas of social deprivation do not have their own toothbrush, whilst some children share a toothbrush with a family member, some don’t have a toothbrush at all. These children often suffer from high levels of tooth decay, which in many instances is preventable. Providing toothbrushes and toothpaste for these children can help to protect their teeth and ensure toothbrushing becomes part of the kids’ daily routine.”
They plan to dress up as tooth fairies for the 10 mile cycle across East Riding, Yorkshire, on July 20, 2024. Their outfits will be complete with wings, tutus, and crowns. Ingrid and Carrie have called on the local community for support and words of encouragement.
Discussing their training efforts, Ingrid said, “I haven’t been on a bike for goodness knows how many years, so I’m building up my training slowly! I’m admittedly not the biggest exercise lover, so this will certainly be a challenge for me, but Carrie and I have been keeping each other motivated and frequently text each other to check on how we’re both getting on. While it will be a challenge, it’ll certainly be a laugh with Carrie.”
Preventative oral health care is of great importance to Ingrid, who experienced poor oral health as a child, which led to her having to have six general anaesthetics throughout her childhood to remove decayed teeth.
Ingrid was a target for bullies due to her affected speech and a difference in appearance due to her missing teeth, which had a profound impact on her self-esteem.
Thankfully, this has changed as she has grown older. Ingrid now uses her childhood experiences to motivate her to drive positive change for communities and children across the UK through her work as prevention lead.
Carrie said, “There is definitely a bit of healthy competition going on between Ingrid and I – we always have a giggle together, so I’ve got no doubt we’ll make it through the cycle with a smile on our faces, despite it being a challenge for us both. Having access to a toothbrush and toothpaste and being able to clean our teeth is something most of us take for granted, but for these children it means so much more. Please help a child to smile by supporting our fundraising event and together, let’s make a difference.”
Ingrid and Carrie are aiming to raise at least £1,000, which would provide oral health packs to over 700 children.
For more information visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ingridandcarriesmilesforsmiles?utm_term=4Qw9k7JAE