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GN finds a supplier for Mr. Gross Mouth

You may have heard of Mr. Potato Head.

Well, make room for Mr. Gross Mouth.

Mr. Gross Mouth is an educational product intended to teach students about the oral health hazards associated with tobacco. The Department of Education plans to send a Mr. Gross Mouth to each Nunavut community.
photo courtesy of Health Edco

The Government of Nunavut has awarded a $6,421 tender for Nuna Depot to supply 25 units of Mr. Gross Mouth so one can be shipped to each Nunavut community as an interactive educational tool.

The product, which retails for $146 U.S. on the Health Edco website, helps students understand oral health risks related to tobacco use, such as damage to the gums, teeth and tongue. Mr. Gross Mouth reveals cavities, tooth loss, receding gums and cancerous growths on the upper plate, tongue and gums.

The gadget will reside with the community oral health coordinator, nurses or community health representatives, who will use it as a teaching tool, usually during school visits.

The new Mr. Gross Mouth units will replace aging and broken models, according to the Department of Health.

The key health messages conveyed through Mr. Gross Mouth are that all tobacco products are harmful, including smokeless tobacco; nicotine is addictive; using nicotine-replacement therapy gum and patches, along with counselling, are effective ways to stop using tobacco, including the smokeless variety, the Department of Health stated.