Category: Brushing

Healthy Holiday Teeth

~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

During holiday time many parents are concerned because this is the season of temptation, filled with lots of sugary treats. Here are my 5 top tips for a healthy approach to the holidays~

Maintain a balanced diet of all the major food groups. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, milk, dairy, eggs, lean meat and fish. For non-meat eaters, do not forget about your proteins. There are so many plant based protein substitutes available in your supermarket’s fresh and frozen aisles that it can be difficult to choose which to try first.

It’s okay to allow a limited selection of special treats. This is what makes the holidays special. Moderation is the key. As always, remember to floss and brush those goodies away.

Avoiding sticky and chewy foods, like dried fruits or toffee is a good idea, since they have more cavity causing power.

If you have an infant or young child drinking from a bottle or sippy cup don’t allow holiday traveling and schedule changes to disrupt your good habits. Remember not to let your child fall asleep with the bottle or sippy cup since the liquids stay in their mouth and can cause cavities.

You are your family’s cheer leader. Encourage, remind and reinforce good flossing and brushing habits even with your hectic holiday schedule.

Enjoy a Healthy, Happy and Safe Holiday!

More Tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Yesterday was Halloween, Do You know what Today is?

Nice Clean Teeth
~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

Yes today is the day after Halloween, and today is also a special day. Try to guess —

Think you know? You’re getting there. YES, today is NATIONAL BRUSH DAY

Happy National Brush Day

Every year we celebrate National Brush Day on November 1st. To make up for those extra sweet indulgences from yesterday we celebrate today so we can get back into our healthy routine including brushing our teeth.

2 Minutes 2 X’s A Day

How do we celebrate?

On this day it’s being especially mindful of how important brushing your family’s teeth for 2 minutes 2x’s a day is for everyone. Brushing is fun when you do it together and watch videos to make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies. Check out www.2min2x.org for fun brushing.

What equipment do I need?

So it’s game on. The 3 pieces of equipment you need are a soft tooth brush (age appropriate size), a “dab will do ya” size of toothpaste (fluoride preferred), and a flosser.

What comes next?

Remember to floss first. I know everyone says to brush and floss. Flossing first allows you to take out the yucky stuff that gets caught in between their teeth (there’s always stuff) and then you brush all that away at once.

If you floss second, you’ll have to brush again to take the in between teeth icky stuff away.

When do we do this?

Brushing for 2 minutes in the morning after breakfast and for 2 minutes before bed (and after flossing) is a great way to healthy teeth and gums.

Your child eats breakfast at school? Bring their tooth brush and tooth paste with you in a plastic bag and ask the Cafeteria Monitor which bathroom you can use to brush their teeth.

Your child doesn’t like to eat breakfast? We all know that although this is not a good idea there are some children who just can’t eat in the morning, BUT they still need to brush their teeth before going to school.

How often do we do this?

7 days a week/365 days a year. Yes even on school days, holidays, vacations and weekends.

When should we start?

If you haven’t already, today is a great day to start. So this way, National Brush Day will always be your anniversary for good oral health!

HAPPY NATIONAL BRUSH DAY from US to YOU!

More Tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Your nightly bedtime brushing routine

~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

Your 4 B’s

Pleasant and consistent bed time routines ease the way for your children to feel comfortable and secure. This is a time for you to enjoy together while establishing your bedtime toothbrushing habits. 

By incorporating these 4 B’s you are turning challenge into routine and protecting those little teeth in a big way.

Bath A warm bath along with comfy and cozy pjs allows your child to start to relax.

Brush Two minutes with a soft wet cloth or soft tooth brush while singing your favorite brushing song puts brushing in a whole new light, stress free. Remember, nothing to eat or drink after brushing keeps the sugar bugs away.

Book Together time reading a good night book. Then it’s book away and into

Bed Hugs and kisses for sweet dreams and restful nights with clean sparkling teeth.

Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Top Summer Questions for Healthy Teeth

~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

4 Top Questions

Summer is here and it’s time for lazy days and fun foods. Fun also means a balanced diet and keeping up with good habits, so those eagerly awaited goodies taste extra special.

Daddy and daughter eating ice cream and laughing on a beautiful summer day

How do I keep a routine for my children?

Put together a traveling dental kit.  This way if schedule changes disrupt your good habits you can start up where you left off.  Remember, during your travels that bottles and sippy cups are good for comforting your child, however falling asleep with one in their mouth increases cavity risk.

How do I keep my child’s diet healthy for their teeth?

Special foods are fun when eaten along with a healthy and balanced diet of fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, water, and plain milk.

What about sticky gooey treats?

Gooey, sticky and chewy are fun to eat, not so much to remove from teeth.  When you indulge choose treats that are super smooth and slide off the teeth like smooth velvety dark chocolate.

What’s the most important thing for me to do? 

Establish consistent daily routines that can be done in a fun way. Do something fun while brushing to keep your child’s attention long enough for you to brush all their teeth. Brush and floss together and have a brush-a-thon to your child’s favorite tunes. Use a sticker chart and remember to be on the look out for their fun flavor toothpaste or a toothbrush with their favorite character.

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!