A Day in the Life of Samantha’s Teeth

Samantha is a happy little girl who lives in Vancouver, Washington. She is happy because she started going to Kindergarten this year and she really enjoys learning new things at school. Samantha especially loves when special guests come to school to teach the kids new things. And this week was exceptionally fun because a dentist came to school and told the kids about all the essential things they should do to take care of their oral health. Samantha couldn’t wait to go home and tell her mom, dad, and little brother about everything she learned at school. After all, she was proud to know that she was doing her oral health habits correctly!

Samantha is proud of her oral health. Be like Samantha! 

That night at dinner, Samantha and her little brother took turns telling their parents about their day at school. When it was her turn at last, she could tell them everything the dentist had to say. 

Samantha was bursting with joy as she turned to look at her mom. Right away, she said, “Mom, thank you so much for giving me such a bright smile!” Her mom smiled back at her and nodded before responding, “I am happy that you have such a bright and beautiful smile.” But Samantha now knew why she had a bright and beautiful smile. Do you know why?

1. Samantha brushes her teeth first thing in the morning.

When Samantha gets up in the morning, she wipes the sleep from her eyes and then hops out of bed. After breakfast, she scampers to the bathroom and digs her toothpaste and favorite toothbrush from the bathroom drawer. Then, she sings the alphabet in her mind six times while she brushes her teeth, because her mom told her that if she sings the song six times, it equals about two minutes. And you should brush your teeth for two minutes at a time, at least twice per day.

2. Samantha’s dad makes her a healthy, balanced breakfast every morning.

Samantha’s dad knows that a healthy breakfast will help Samantha learn better at school. But, he also knows that some foods are better for her than others. So each morning, he makes her a delicious breakfast that fills her tummy but is good for her teeth and overall oral health too. Some of Samantha’s favorite breakfast items are scrambled eggs with a side of ham, or a fruit and yogurt smoothie. Samantha likes the peach smoothies the best!

3. Samantha picks healthy foods at lunchtime.

Samantha’s school gives the Kindergartners a lot of different choices about what they can have for lunch. And although everything is good-tasting, Samantha tries to pick foods that she knows will be good for her. Some of her favorite lunch items are a cheese sandwich, crunchy carrots and celery, a banana, and a carton of nonfat milk. And for dessert, sometimes she picks a chocolate pudding. Because after all, she is a kid and while a healthy diet is important, everyone enjoys a treat now and again.

4. Samantha wears her mouthguard when she plays soccer after school.

Samantha loves to play sports, and one of her favorite things to do in the warm weather is to play soccer with her friends. But Samantha loves her smile and wants to protect it. So, she wears the mouthguard that Dr. Gagneja gave her at her last dentist’s appointment. Dr. G. explained that mouthguards help prevent chipped, broken, and knocked-out teeth. And even though Samantha still has all of her baby teeth, she understands that keeping her baby teeth healthy will help with the roots of her adult teeth later on.

5. Samantha enjoys a yummy dinner with her family.

At the end of each day, Samantha’s family gets together at the dinner table to enjoy a meal together. And though the food is always delicious, Samantha especially loves that everyone gets to take a turn telling the rest of the family about their day. Sometimes it can be boring to hear what her mom and dad did during the day, because they both have jobs and don’t get to go to school and learn as she does. But she listens anyway because she knows it is polite and that her turn will come. Besides, she can snack on broccoli or whatever other fresh vegetables her mom has served with dinner while she is waiting. And she loves swishing around the milk or water in her mouth after every few bites. It just makes everything so satisfying.

But tonight at dinner, after Samantha was done telling everyone about the visit from the dentist, Samantha’s dad turned to her and told her that her dentist appointment was coming up the very next day. Samantha was so excited to go see Dr. G. again! She only gets to see him every six months, but she really enjoys her visits. After all, every time she leaves, she knows her mouth is clean and healthy. And she likes knowing that she is cavity-free.

6. Samantha reads her little brother a story about going to the dentist.

Samantha and her little brother read a book together with their mom or dad every night after dinner. Though Samantha is still learning to read and her mom or dad has to help her with the words, she loves that special family time at night. And tonight, since her dentist appointment is coming up the next day, she picks out a book about going to the dentist. Tonight’s book is called The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, and while she is reading the book aloud with her dad, it reminds her of the secret life of an incisor that he read to her before when he was teaching her about her teeth.

7. Samantha brushes and flosses her teeth and rinses with mouthwash at bedtime.

When bedtime comes around, Samantha puts her jammies on and then heads down the hall to the bathroom. Though she has eaten plenty of tooth-friendly foods during the day, she knows that she still needs to brush her teeth. She understands that sometimes her toothbrush can’t get into all the nooks and crannies of her teeth and gums, so her mom helps her to floss between her teeth. Finally, her mom pours her a small cup of kid-friendly mouthwash and she uses it to rinse all of the food particles away. It’s so comforting to go to bed with a clean and healthy mouth!

Good oral health starts at home, but a visit to the dentist every six months is a must!

We hope you enjoyed this story about Samantha. She sure is a special little girl, and we’re so proud that she takes good care of her teeth. If you want to have great oral health and a beautiful smile like Samantha, make sure your parents teach you how to brush your teeth, floss them, and rinse with a kid-friendly mouthwash. And make sure they bring you to the dentist at least once every six months. You can make it easy for them by telling them to request an appointment by clicking on this link too. We can’t wait to see you!