Did you know that today, September 8th is ToothsDay? Yes it is!
Today is the day we celebrate everything about teeth. No matter getting teeth, baby teeth, grownup teeth, teeth for biting into food, teeth for chewing food, teeth for talking, teeth for smiling, teeth for flossing, teeth for brushing.
Here are 3 great ways to celebrate Toothsday and give your child their best smile —
1. Mirror Mirror on the Wall – looking in the mirror to make sure you floss and brush away all the food and sugar that sticks to your child’s teeth and tongue is a great way to teach healthy habits. 2 Minutes 2X’s a day keeps the sugar bugs away.
2. Sweets are treats. There are so many goodies to choose from so keep an eye on snacking and drink choices. With sugar less is more.
3. Celebrate ToothsDay and National School Pictures Day together. That’s right, both are celebrated on September 8th. Pick out your child’s perfect outfit, work on that awesome hairstyle, and practice their best and brightest smile. Mom and Dad you remember this from your childhood, now it’s time for your child to go in front of the camera, think about the deep sense of pride and joy this brings to you.
Today is all about making memories and beautiful smiles together.
The annual ritual for back to school is here. Daycare, Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School, High School – your school year schedule is back.
For the last few weeks so many of you have been out there checking off clothing and school supply lists. Finding the perfect outfit for 1st day pictures, school pictures and practicing your child’s adorable smile.
While you were busily hunting for the treasured lunch box your child has been asking for, you were also planning what you were going to be packing into it for snacks and lunch that meet your child’s seal of approval.
You know it is important for your child to have a healthy balanced diet. Snacks and lunch at school need to provide a good source of protein, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and grains.
If your child purchases their school lunches this is a great opportunity for you both to have a conversation about healthy food choices. If vending machines line the hallways or lunch room at your tween’s or teenager’s school, this is a good time to sit down and discuss healthy selections.
What are some good choices to include in their lunch box?
Sticky and chewy snacks need an upgrade. Fresh fruit and veggies are always flavorful and appealing. Have your child help you select their apple, pear, strawberries, orange, grapes. To make eating them more fun for your child to eat you can pre-peel a Clementine or Mandarin Orange, or cut their fruit and veggies into different shapes with your cookie cutters.
Know what goes great with fruit and is good for teeth? Cheese! The calcium in cheese is healthy for growing teeth and growing bones. So it’s a win-win 2 for 1.
When thinking about bread and crackers, whole grains are a great addition to stay on that healthy track.
A healthy drink to wash down a good lunch and snacks is water. Drinking regular plain old water is best. It’s best to avoid juice boxes and soda. To encourage your child to drink more water try having them select their own water bottle. With some reminding they’ll be more likely to bring it along on all your outings.
You’ll be surprised how satisfied your child is with their lunch and snacks, and how happy you are knowing they are eating healthy.
I’ve got this!
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
I can’t wait to show my Teacher my shiny new teeth!
In the Know for You to Know
Making sure your child starts and ends the day in a healthy way! Brushing for 2 Minutes 2 Times a Day makes for a happy and healthy smile for everyone.
With the new school year here you want to brush up on your tooth brushing habits. The best way to start is with spiffing up your night time brushing. To do this all you and your child have to remember are the 4B’s.
That’s right, the 4B’s are the key to a pleasant and consistent bed time routine, so that this is a time for both of you to enjoy together.
By incorporating these 4B’s you are turning challenges into an easy routine and protecting those little teeth in a big way.
So What Are The 4B’s?
The 4B’s are …. Bath, Brush, Book, Bed
Bath bath time – a warm bath along with comfy and cozy pj’s encourages your child to start to relax and wind down from the day.
Brush brushing time – 2 Minutes with a soft wet wash cloth or a soft toothbrush while singing your favorite brushing song puts brushing in a whole new light, stress free. Remember, nothing to eat or drink afterwards keeps the sugar bugs away.
Book book time – children love the sound of their parents voice. Spend time together reading a good night book, singing, acting out stories, or simply talking. Then as your child gets sleepy it’s book away and into their comfy snuggly bed.
Bed bed time – hugs and kisses for sweet dreams and restful nights with clean sparkling teeth.
You Have The POWER
What makes your 4B routine powerful is how you do this. Be consistent in your timing so you have enough time between when you start and your child’s bed time. Pretty soon your diligence will rub off on your child and they will be reminding you.
Did you know that teeth are the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself?
Tooth enamel is the outer most layer of teeth and is made up of specific proteins, crystals and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. When teeth have been in ongoing contact with foods high in carbohydrates (aka sugars), carbonated beverages (aka soda), and there are longer times (than you would like) between tooth brushings these minerals break down and dissolve the enamel.
DEMINERALIZATION
Everyone has bacteria in their mouths, even newborns. When the bacteria comes in contact with the yummy sweet foods and drinks they produce an acidic environment in the mouth which causes the minerals in your child’s teeth to demineralize and weaken the enamel.
The weakened enamel makes their teeth more vulnerable and cavities form. It is usually not only one cavity that forms, it’s multiple.
Cavities grow fast in baby teeth. The enamel is super thin. A finger nail is thicker than enamel on baby teeth.
SO WHAT TO DO?
Once cavities get to a certain size they can’t be stopped or reversed and don’t stop growing.
While it’s best if cavities aren’t given the opportunity to grow at all, if they do show up and they are small, sometimes they can be stopped.
This does take work on your part when your child is young and on your child’s and your part when they are older. The rewards are worth it.
TIPS TO DO
For your newborn, infant, and baby use a clean moist washcloth to wipe their mouths after every feeding and before putting them to bed.
For your toddler, pre-schooler, and kindergartener you can also use a clean moist washcloth twice a day (as you would a tooth brush) and add a rice grain size amount of fluoride toothpaste, or, if they allow you can use a soft toothbrush with a rice grain size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your school-age child you’ll use a soft toothbrush, a small pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your tween and teenage child you get to watch them use a soft toothbrush, a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your college age child you may still need to advise them and make sure they use a soft toothbrush, a larger pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
P.S. Don’t forget about yourself!
P.P.S.
REMEMBER – YOU GOT THIS
More Tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
Flossing every night before you brush your child’s teeth goes a long way to teaching them this is something they will always do. Repetition lets them know, even from a young age, that is their normal, their routine, their habit.
So, when to start? The best time is when they are toddlers and they have 2 teeth touching. Yes, when any 2 teeth are touching.
If you can’t see a full uninterrupted 360 around a tooth, that tells you it’s time to floss.
Why Floss?
Brushing alone doesn’t remove everything.
Floss goes where no toothbrush can go. The bristles on a brush may look like they can go everywhere. They can’t. They can’t because they are too thick (really, no joke, totally serious). Unlike a toothbrush, floss fits in between their teeth and along the gum line under where the teeth touch.
Not only does this help with cleaning all the tooth surfaces, flossing also helps control bad breath.
Remember to floss first and brush second, so that you brush away the food and plaque the floss takes out from between the teeth.
Toothbrush bristles are BIG
Types of Dental Floss
There are so many to choose from –
waxed and unwaxed,
flavored (grape, bubblegum, mint) and unflavored,
wide and regular,
textured and smooth
There is also –
regular string floss,
pre-threaded flossers (great for children!),
floss holders (you put on and change the floss with each use),
floss threaders (if your child has braces).
Floss Techniques
Pre-threaded flossers are great when flossing your children’s teeth. There are so many colors, shapes, and flavors to choose from which makes this easier for you and keeps them interested and entertained. Remember to clean the floss with a tissue after flossing between each tooth.
Floss holders, once they have the floss put on are like using the pre-threaded flossers.
Floss threaders are great if your child has braces. You place the string floss through the loop and pass the floss threader at the tip top point of the triangle their gums form between their teeth, floss, and pull the threader with the floss straight out. Do not pull up or push down as this can dislodge their braces.
String floss is also a good choice. With this method you are wrapping floss around your fingers (like you do for yourself).
Where to Start –
You may want to start between the 2 front teeth and floss towards the back on each side. Or you may want to start in the back and floss all the way around their mouth, like a circle. Which ever is your preference and works best for you and your child, remember to floss the back side of the most back teeth.
How Long Do I Have To Floss My Child’s Teeth?
Like tying their shoes this takes time and dexterity. Don’t worry if it takes a little longer than you’d like, expect, or are hoping for. Usually around the time the children are 10 or 11 years old they start flossing and you start watching.
This way you make sure they are flossing between their teeth, especially the hardest to reach ones all the way in the back.
Success Is 1 Step At A Time
Don’t be discouraged if this is hard when you start. Try starting with 1 or 2 teeth a night in the beginning, and don’t forget to congratulate yourself on your success!
Your Happy Place is Your Success!
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
You couldn’t wait for your child to get their first tooth. Then by the time they were 24 to 36 months old they had all their 20 baby teeth. You thought you were all set.
Now they’re asking you – When will the Tooth Fairy come to visit?
When Will My Child Lose Their Baby Teeth?
Children whose baby teeth come in early also get their adult teeth earlier. Children who have their baby teeth come in later – you guessed it – have their adult teeth come in later.
Girls typically lose their baby teeth and get their adult teeth earlier than boys of the same age. What’s important to remember is what every parent knows and that is every child develops at their own pace, so it’s normal too have early and late tooth development.
Most children will start to lose their baby teeth around the time they are 5-7 years old. This is when the roots of the baby teeth are dissolved by the adult teeth.
So get ready to be on the tooth chart!
The first baby teeth to come in are the first to fall out. You can anticipate seeing the bottom front teeth changing first. After the baby tooth is lost the gums may look a little wavy. This is the adult tooth growing in and when it makes its appearance in their mouth you’ll see those waves on the tips of those teeth. These waves are perfectly fine and even have a special name – mammelon (also spelled mamelon). No worries – the mammelons wear away naturally as your child gets older.
Over the next years your child will continue to lose more baby teeth, and new teeth will also be coming in all the way in the back behind the furthest back baby tooth.
By the time your child is 14 to 16 years old they will have their 28 adult teeth in their mouth.
What To Do When Baby Teeth Get Loose
To wiggle or not to wiggle that is the question.
While it’s tempting to help that loose tooth along and speed up that visit from the Tooth Fairy, it’s best to be patient and let nature take its course. Pulling the tooth before it is loose enough will cause unnecessary bleeding and discomfort. Plus the adult tooth won’t come in any faster.
If the tooth is wiggly and it moves easily then with their tongue or with clean hands your child can wiggle the tooth out on their own.
Now you can start your own Tooth Fairy Tradition to celebrate this big milestone!
How To Comfort Your Child
Parents know it’s important to be calm, reassuring, and proud of this BIG-KID Milestone! Go ahead and be proud, this is what everyone has been waiting for!
Once the wiggled tooth is in your hand or Tooth Fairy Box, clean the site with a moistened soft wash cloth to clean up any ooze that may appear. You can place the wash cloth’s edge on the gums and have your child bite down gently if they don’t like the feeling of the baby tooth not being there. The ooze and any uncomfortableness generally goes away quickly and there is no need for medicines.
As a parent you work hard to make sure your children have healthy balanced meals every meal and every day. Did you know that those meals are also one of the first steps in great oral health?
Now is a good time to help your children learn how good brushing, flossing, and eating habits are essential for healthy teeth.
Fruits and Veggies
Apples, pears, carrots and celery have the natural sweet and crunchies children love. Keep these treats on hand for a quick healthy snack and meal side dish.
Cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for teeth. When deciding on yogurt look for “no sugar added” and nix the add-ins.
They provide calcium and phosphorous which strengthens tooth enamel and can disrupt the development of cavities.
Suggestions –
Frozen yogurt popsicles (tasty, fun and easy to make at home with your children),
Fresh fruit with cheddar cheese or Greek Yogurt,
Smoothie with frozen fruit and milk (tasty, fun and easy to make homemade).
Getting in those Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, broccoli, and broccolini provide fluoride, vitamins and minerals to strengthen tooth enamel and increase saliva production. Talk about a super food!
Suggestions –
Cooking together makes everything taste extra yummy!
Add fresh or sauteed spinach, kale, broccoli, broccolini, or bok choy to your favorite Mac and Cheese
Green smoothies are GREAT! Add spinach, kale, or avocado to your favorite fruit smoothie.
Seeds and Nuts
Almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are great tasting, crunchy, and fun to eat. They are high in minerals, high in good fats, and low in sugar. Remember to pass on the added sugar and salt coated varieties.
Suggestions –
Nut Butters on their own are great for snacking, or scoop some into celery sticks,
Add a spoon of your favorite nut butter into your smoothie of the day,
Enjoy a palm full for a healthy and crunchy snack,
Add some to a your cheese and fruit plate,
Add some to your homemade trail mix (watch the amount of candies and dried fruits because of the added sugars and stickiness in teeth).
Staying Hydrated
Flavored milks, juice, soda, caffeinated drinks, and low calorie sweetened beverages can be big sources of added sugars in children’s diets and do not provide any nutritional value.
When you serve juice, serve it as a special treat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 4 ounces and have your child drink all of it with their meal. This way the sugar gets diluted with their healthy meal. A splash of juice and a lot of water go a long way to making up those 4 ounces.
Remember, plain milk and water are your go to beverages. Keep water easily on hand to stay refreshed.
Girl with braces teeth hand holding toothbrush smiling and happy
Dentist teaching a little girl how to brush her teeth
Brush twice a day with a soft tooth brush and fluoridated toothpaste. Brush for 2 Minutes after breakfast and before bed, and Floss before you brush their teeth every night.
Mom High 5 Yourself for a job Well Done
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
Thank You Mommy and Daddy, I love my beautiful Smile
School’s out, Camp and Vacations are in. Long lazy days, family traditions, and fun times are here!
While you’re having fun you can also keep up your families good habits (or tweaking not so good ones) like your balanced diet and oral hygiene routine. This way those eagerly awaited treats taste extra special.
Keep a Routine
Start with putting together your summer dental kit – toothpaste, floss, tooth brush, finger brush, wash cloths.
While you’re doing your regular grocery shopping be on the look out for their fun flavor tooth paste or a tooth brush with their favorite character.
This way if schedule changes disrupt your habits you’re prepared and can start up where you left off.
Also keep in mind that bottles and sippy cups may be good for comforting a tired child, however falling asleep with one in their mouth increases their risk of cavities.
My toothbrush is in my Daddy’s knapsack
Healthy Diet = Healthy Teeth = Happy Family
Those fun foods your child always looks forward to are a special part of summer. Adding them to their healthy diet of fresh fruits, fresh veggies, whole grains, plain milk and water, go a long way to helping you decrease their cavity risk. And they are an incentive for your child to eat the way you want them to (Added Bonus!).
Sticky, Gooey, Chewy
Gooey, sticky and chewy are fun to eat, not so much fun to brush away from teeth.
Yes it’s about those candy apples from the specialty shop you always seem to go to, and the taffy at the seashore which are talked about for days before you get there. Or it’s the ice cream cone with the crunchies on top from the ice cream man coming down the street playing his familiar and anticipated summer tune that your child looks forward to every day.
While these are amazingly delicious and we all love them, the stickier, gooey, chewier and crunchier foods tend to stick into the nooks and crannies of teeth and are really hard to brush out and away.
What to do? Let’s face it when your child is enjoying these treats it is not always at a time you can take out the floss and tooth brush. When you can it is definitely best to do so. If changing your fun food selection is not possible then drinking water will help dilute all that sugar and also help wash away the food on the surface. Perhaps your child is okay with trying something else (think new family tradition), then chocolate (with no mix ins) is a good option since it is smooth and will slide off their teeth.
What’s Most Important?
Keep a consistent daily routine that can be done in a fun way and which you can continue in the summer.
Do something fun to keep their attention while flossing and brushing —
Talk about the great stuff they did today and build anticipation for tomorrow.
Floss and brush together and have a brush-a-thon to your child’s favorite summer tunes.
Make a summer sticker chart and sticker the chart every morning after brushing (2 Minutes) and every night after flossing and brushing (2 Minutes).
Above all, don’t stress, have fun and make wonderful memories.
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
Baby teeth are very important and for 4 reasons. First, they are needed for the growth of your Baby’s jaws, muscles and their face. Second, their teeth are also necessary for your Child to be able to chew their food, eat well and grow healthy and strong. Third, their teeth help them to speak — their tongue and cheeks engage the surfaces of their teeth to help them form the sounds they need to talk. Fourth, their Baby teeth provide the space for their permanent teeth to develop and to guide them into position.
Myth #2 Putting Baby To Bed With A Bottle is NOT A Problem
Putting your Baby to sleep for a nap or at night with a bottle or after breast feeding can cause a serious type of cavities. This is because the sugar in the formula, milk, fruit juice, and other sweetened liquids sit on their teeth and eats away at the enamel. The time for cavities to show up can be as soon as 1 year after their teeth come into their mouth. You’ll most probably see the cavities on their top front teeth first.
What to do? Clean your Baby’s whole mouth and teeth with a wet washcloth after each feeding everyday, from their first to their last feeding of the day. It’s best for you to sit down on the bed or on the sofa where you have room and can comfortably and safely hold your Baby and you can look into their mouth easily.
If they will not go to sleep without a bottle, put water in the bottle. Water not working? Then dilute the sugary liquid with 50% water and keep increasing the amount of water until there is 100% water in the bottle by the end of 1 week.
MYTH #3 Cavities Aren’t A Big Deal For Children
Cavities in children are more prevalent than Asthma. And by a lot, children are 8x’s more likely to have cavities than Asthma.
That’s a lot of children — 20% of preschoolers, 50% of 2nd graders, 75% of 15 year olds.
MYTH #4 Letting Your Child Brush Without Your Help
It takes time for children to develop their motor skills. How old do you think they’ll be when they can wash and dry their own hair from start to finish on their own?
When they can do their hair themselves that’s about the time they can floss and brush on their own also. So you will be doing this for them. Not only that, once they do start flossing and brushing by themselves in front of the bathroom mirror, they’ll do a much better job with you in the bathroom with them.
Brushing is 2 Minutes 2 Times A Day and Flossing is at night before brushing. So it’s brushing in the morning for 2 Minutes after breakfast before leaving for school looking in the mirror, and at night looking in the bathroom mirror to floss first then brush for 2 Minutes, then nothing to eat or drink and straight to bed.
Don’t fall into these common confusions about your Child’s oral health. Now you can take charge and have the power to stop these urban legends before they begin.
What is your power?
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
Every February we celebrate a whole month dedicated to children’s oral health.
Healthy habits start early and grow as your child grows. Whether your child is 6 months old, 6 years old, or 16 years old, healthy teeth and gums are important for a healthy smile. With good care, a balanced diet, injury prevention, a home based daily hygiene routine, and dental visits their teeth can be healthy, strong, beautiful, and last a lifetime.
This is why it’s so important to start early and continue on a regular schedule. By doing this you are establishing your child’s twice a day flossing and brushing routine. Your child gets used to doing this, they grow up knowing this is expected of them and it’s in their comfort zone. Which means it’s stress free for you!
Healthy Teeth = 365 Days of SMILES
Your child’s health, happiness and successes are most important to you. Teaching them cavities are preventable is the first step.
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
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