IT IS NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH!!!
Join us in developing healthy habits for children everywhere!

“The chains of habits are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken”
-Samuel Johnson, English author 1709

Surprisingly, tooth decay is the number one chronic infectious disease among children in the US. This can begin as early as age 1. Effects include long-term health issues, pain, infections, speaking and eating difficulties, tooth discoloration and tooth loss. Tooth discomfort can confuse a young child and should be addressed early! Talk to your dentist about bringing your child in for a visit to eliminate any fears they may have.

Encouragement for a happy & healthy smile:

Birth-2 years 

~Before teeth erupt, parents can clean gums and mouth at bath time with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush. This allows the child to become familiar with toothbrushes.
~Bring your child to the dentist as early as their first birthday so that healthy dental hygiene can be foundational.

2-5 years: 

~Aid your child in brushing their teeth twice daily–brushing before bedtime is an awesome habit to establish with your child.
~Add a fun game/song into your brushing time. (See below for ideas)
~Parents may begin flossing for their child in areas where two teeth are touching.

School aged:

~Continue dental care by assisting your child in brushing and flossing.
~Help promote a happy smile as you cheer on your child in his/her favorite sport! Have your child request a personalized mouth guard to protect against sports injuries. Ask for team colors and get the entire school on-board!

Are you interested in more interactive and fun ways to implement healthy tooth care?

Drawing Games: Place a small white board in your bathroom to be used during tooth brushing times. Agree upon one item to be drawn. While one person brushes, the other must draw the agreed upon item for two minutes (If you have more than one child, allow them to play against one another). Once everyone has brushed and taken a turn drawing their picture on the board, allow the drawings to be left up all day and voted upon. Laugh with your child as you comment on different features of the drawings that seem to have met the mark and others that were clearly drawn in the last couple seconds of the brushing cycle (:
Singing Games: Pick a song for your child to sing for two minutes while you brush your teeth and then switch roles! A quick and easy karaoke night (:
Staring games: Face one another while brushing your teeth and see who can end the two minutes of brushing with the least number of blinks!
Copycat: Decide who gets to be the leader and who gets to be the follower for your tooth brushing session. The follower must copy the movement of the leader with regards to the tooth brushing actions. ie. if the leader starts to brush their tongue, the follower must do the same. Stick with 2 minutes (:
Thinking games: Who can use their two minutes to think of the most… four letter words, words that rhyme with mouth, names that start with the letter “m”–while the other person brushes their teeth. Compare your list and see who wins!

Experiment with each of these or let the creativity of your child shine as you join together to form your own routines!!! Whether you are singing, side stepping or staring, let your kids know that their health is important! (: Reply back with any of you or your child’s fun ideas!

Quotes From Our Team:
“in their teenage years, I have found it beneficial to discuss the negative results of plaque buildup and brushing neglect in terms of harvesting a funky breath odor….no teenager wants to be that (bad-breathed) kid.” -Adra, dental assistant
(4-5 olds) “I like to tell them that they are now “big kids” and “big kids” take responsibility for their own teeth…they need to brush and floss their teeth and get mom and dad to check in after they have finished! No one wants to be nicknamed ‘plaquey’ or ‘yuck-mouth'(:” -Adra, dental assistant
“I like to make brushing teeth fun for my girls! Sometimes I will brush their tongues first because it makes them laugh, which allows me to associate having fun with forming healthy habits!” -Vick, dental assistant

Have Fun,
Jess & Tiana ©

Join us in celebrating child teeth!