Learn how The Singing Dentist’s organic journey intertwines music, dentistry, and social media for engaging oral health education.
What motivated you to start a social media account around dentistry?
It happened very organically when I first started doing the Singing Dentist videos back in 2016. At the time, it was really only YouTube and Facebook and I used to just post my songs on there and then engage with the followers. Soon Instagram became more popular and then other platforms like Snapchat and later TikTok. There are so many platforms now, it has become a full-time job just to keep up with it all!
Why do you think oral health is an important topic for Canadians to continue to educate themselves/their families on?
The mouth is such an important part of the body and it is often forgotten about. I think we need to treat it like any other organ. We take our heart health seriously, we try to look after our lungs and our livers and our kidneys… so why not look after our mouth?! It is the gateway to everything! Food comes in and if our mouth isn’t functioning correctly, it has a massive effect on our general well-being. Plus, we know there are links with oral health and many other diseases such as diabetes, heart conditions and even dementia so a healthy mouth really does help with having a healthy life.
Who or what inspired you to become “TheSingingDentist”?
Becoming the Singing Dentist was a total accident, and it was never planned. A patient didn’t show up one day, so I just started freestyle rapping about teeth and recorded it on my phone. I sent it to a friend and he posted it online. People seemed to like it so I just rolled with it and started doing more. All the songs have dental education at the core and the messages are delivered in a fun and non-threatening way, which makes it relatable and catchy.
What have you learned through this process that has helped you teach oral health in a different way?
People want to learn more and talk about dentistry but sometimes, fear or their anxiety may hold them back from seeing a dentist. What I have found is that we can use social media to educate and inspire our patients which will only have positive impacts for their dental health and in turn, their overall general health.
What is one tip you would give Canadians who are looking to improve their oral health?
One tip is hard when there are so many!! First, I would say to start thinking of the mouth as an important and integral part of the body and do the basic things consistently. Make sure you brush your teeth effectively with a good toothbrush twice a day for 2 minutes. Clean in-between the teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes and also clean the tongue with a dedicated tongue scraper. Reduce the frequency of sugary foods and drinks and do not smoke, even vaping has shown negative effects on the mouth. And lastly, see your dental care professional regularly for maintenance and check-ups because prevention is always better than cure!
