It’s Time to Learn About Dental Health

Watching our little ones grow up and learn about the world can be a strange experience. You’re thrilled to see them grow and learn to function as an adult, but there will always be a part of your heart that aches to have that precious, tiny baby back in your arms. It can be overwhelming to look and see what they have to learn, and it can feel as though you’re never going to be able to teach them everything. Sure, there are some things that they have to learn on their own. But there are things that parents can help along. One of these things is their oral hygiene.

Thankfully, we here at Must Love Kids Pediatric Dentistry firmly believe that teaching them to care about their oral health doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, we all know that the information typically sticks in our kiddo’s brains a bit better if it’s fun and engaging. So here are some ideas to help you teach your children about how to care for their teeth!

Toothbrushing Chart

Creating a chart to train yourself to do certain habits works for a lot of people. You get instant satisfaction by filling in the appropriate spot each day, plus you can customize the chart to work for you. For children, this can be done by letting them decorate the chart to their heart’s content. Hand them a blank calendar and highlighters and see what happens. You could even throw in a pack of stickers or some glitter glue.

For each day they brush their teeth, they get to either add a sticker to the appropriate day or color it in with their favorite markers. At the end of each week or month, (make it work for your family!) you can let them pick a reward.

Eggshell Experiment

The point of this experiment is to show your children what sugary drinks do to the enamel of a tooth. All you need are some cups, sugar-filled drinks, and hard-boiled eggs. Label each cup with the name of whatever drinks you have on hand, like soda or orange juice, then fill them up! Once that’s done, you simply plop an egg into each cup. Finally, let the soaking eggs hang out in the fridge for 48 hours.

This experiment shows exactly why you need to brush your teeth to get rid of any remaining sugar. It’ll drive home the point that the last thing you want is for all of that to rest on the enamel, eating away at the tooth.

Make Your Own Toothpaste

Kids love to make things. Whether it’s releasing them on a pancake recipe in the kitchen, or letting them play scientist with old shampoo containers, it’s certain to keep them occupied for a while. Why not use this natural talent of theirs to teach them about their oral health?

You can teach them how to make their own toothpaste! Here’s a quick and easy recipe:

• 4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. flavoring (e.g., mint, cinnamon, orange—you won’t want to skip this step!)

When it’s done, let them create a name for their very own toothpaste. This just might make them excited to brush their teeth for once. 

Dental Health Craft: Tooth Fairy Jar

When it comes to the tooth fairy, you can do just about anything you’d like to foster their imagination. One fun craft is to create little jars to put their lost teeth in. This makes it easier for the “tooth fairy” to swoop in and exchange it for a prize, plus, it’s a memento they will cherish forever.

You can make this craft with any sort of jar you have on hand, or get small vials from the craft store. Have your child decorate it however they’d like, and put their name on it. Be sure to teach them that the tooth fairy really prefers clean teeth, so they should do what they can to keep their teeth sparkly and clean!

Flossing and Brushing Fun With Playdough

All you need for this fun game is some yarn or string, play dough, and some large Lego. Stick a few together with the playdough in the middle. Then, have your child floss between the blocks. Use this time to teach them how to get into all the corners to make sure they get the blocks completely clean.

This also works to teach proper brushing techniques. Just get the playdough all over the face of the Lego instead, and have your child work to brush it away with an old toothbrush. 

Healthy Snack Preparation

A lot of kids love to help in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage and teach them how different foods react with their bodies—especially their teeth. Teach them that the crunchiness of apples and carrots helps keep their teeth clean, and that the calcium in their leafy veggies will help them form strong teeth and bones. 

Fun Is Important

When teaching children anything, it’s important to do your best to make it fun. When teaching your children to care for their own teeth, don’t be afraid to get creative! What works for one child might not work for the next, and that’s perfectly okay. Just do your best to make it fun for your child. You won’t regret it!

If you try any of these activities at home, chime in and let us know how it went! Do you have any other games or crafts to share with us? Tell us all about them at your child’s next appointment.