Think oral health is just about brushing your teeth? Guess again.

In 90 minutes, dental care professional and instructor Becky Lommen can have you swabbing your baby's gums after each meal and thinking twice about a can of pop.

Eleven teaspoons in 12 ounces of Mountain Dew (even more in Orange Slice)? It's possible to spread your own cavities to your child? Poor oral health in young children can lead to overall health problems into adulthood?

Lommen gives many such facts in her presentation, "Learn How to Talk ‘Tooth’ When You’re Not a Tooth Professional," a 90-minute oral health training session open to all parents, child care providers, early childhood teachers, healthcare providers and anyone who works directly with young children or their caregivers.

It is part of the Early Childhood Dental Network’s free oral health training sessions throughout west central Minnesota during the months of Feb. through April.

The free training includes dental care supplies and door prizes. In some locations meals will be provided.

To learn more, or to sign up to attend one of the "Learn How to Talk ‘Tooth’" training sessions, register online or contact Marsha Erickson at West Central Initiative, 800-735-2239. Continuing education credit and clock hours for health professionals and care providers are available.

The oral health training sessions are funded by Bremer Foundation, Dakota Medical Foundation, the McKnight Foundation’s Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative and West Central Initiative. It is a project of The Early Childhood Dental Network, a nine-county multi-disciplinary collaborative project designed to increase awareness and education to all children about the importance of oral health, and increase access to dental care, specifically to those ages 0-5 who are on Minnesota Health Care Programs or are uninsured.