In the Know for you to Know
It’s ALL SMILES!
Keep your children’s teeth safe this holiday. Don’t forget to brush and floss.
And as always we hope you have a happy and fun Thanksgiving.
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In the Know for you to Know
Taking care of your child’s teeth affects their oral health. A good sign of their well-being is healthy teeth and gums. A lot of parents feel that oral health is one of their top priorities for maintaining a healthy lifestyle for their family.
So what are these truths?
Mistruth 1 – Sugar Causes Cavities
Truth – While sugar does contribute to the formation of cavities, it’s not only the sugar itself that causes the cavity. It’s also the bacteria (which is naturally in the mouth) that thrive and eats the sugar which is stuck on the teeth, and eats the teeth as well.
Solution – Keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy by brushing 2Minutes 2X’s A Day and floss every night before brushing.
Mistruth 2 – Parents Don’t Need To Brush Their Child’s Baby Teeth
Truth – Start early and keep going, even before their teeth are in their mouth. Cleaning your baby’s mouth and teeth after every feeding and before naps and bedtime is a good routine.
Solution – A soft toothbrush or washcloth are best to use, with a tiny rice grain size amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Once baby teeth start coming in you’ll have your routine and your baby will be used to you doing this. Remember to Lift Their Lips (upper and lower lips) so that you can see the entire tooth to make sure they are clean.
Mistruth 3 – Brushing Harder Cleans Better
Truth – Brushing harder doesn’t mean brushing smarter. The harder you brush their teeth, the more they won’t let you brush and more harm is done to teeth and gums.
Solution – Brush gently with a soft bristled toothbrush in a circular motion for 2Minutes 2X’s A Day, every day.
Mistruth 4 – Flossing Is Not Really Necessary
Truth – Flossing is an important part of maintaining your child’s good oral health. Think of flossing as brushing in-between the teeth. Why floss? The food and stuff that gets in-between has no way to get out. What’s the result? Cavities in-between teeth.
Solution – Toothbrush bristles and rinses don’t get in-between teeth so the only way to clean is with floss. Flossing at night before brushing cleans everything out and then you brush it away.
Mistruth 5 – Chewing Gum Is Like Brushing
Truth – Chewing gum is not a replacement for brushing teeth. Some chewing gums advertise cleaner teeth and fresher breath, but all they can really do is freshen breath.
Solution – While chewing sugar free gum or gum with Xylitol is better, they are not a replacement for a toothbrush and floss. A regular daily routine for brushing and flossing is still best.
What Dental Mistruths have you heard? Did they make you giggle? Was it really convincing? We’d really like to know!
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More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You To Know
You do this twice a day out of habit – Brush, Rinse, Repeat.
But, what are the best ways to keep toothbrushes clean and fresh between brushing?
Here are 6 ways to take care of your child’s toothbrush so your child’s toothbrush will help you take care of them —
Cleaning your toothbrushes is easy
Rinse your brushes to remove any remaining toothpaste and food particles from the bristles.
Toothbrushes like to be left out in the open
Store your brushes upright and allow them to air dry. Don’t cover or store them in closed containers. A closed container or one with little air holes keeps the brushes wet which allows unwanted bacteria to grow.
Keep toothbrushes separate
If you store your child’s toothbrush with other toothbrushes make sure they are separated to prevent cross contamination and allow them to dry.
Store toothbrushes so they don’t get splashed on
Keep your brushes away from the edge of the sink and counter top. This way they’re not accidentally splashed when someone is washing their hands or reaching for the hand towel. It’s also a good way to help avoid getting germs on the brushes.
Sharing is not caring with toothbrushes
Sharing a toothbrush means you’re also sharing bacteria from each other’s mouth.
Replace your child’s toothbrush every 3 months
90 days of brushing 2Min 2X’s A Day (that’s 180 brushings) takes a toll on a toothbrushes bristles. The bristles become worn down, don’t do a good job of brushing and give germs a place to grow. Regularly replacing your child’s brush allows you to keep up with your good healthy habits.
How do you keep your child’s toothbrush clean and fresh? Have a tip you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
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More tips? We have lots. We’re just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
3 Important Reasons to Replace Your Child’s Toothbrush?
How many times a year do you change your child’s toothbrush?
3 most important reasons to change your child’s toothbrush – when the bristles start to wear out, after your child has been sick, and every 3 months to keep their routine on track.
Let us know how often you change your child’s toothbrush. Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com or Message us, Chat with us, Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
Yes it is the day after Halloween, and it’s also a special day. It’s NATIONAL BRUSH DAY.
What is National Brush Day?
Every year we celebrate National Brush Day on November 1st. To make up for those extra sweets from Halloween we celebrate this day so we can remind our children to get back into our healthy routines and brushing our teeth.
How do we celebrate?
After your children enjoy their treat it’s time to brush to the beat (of their favorite song).
On this day it’s being especially mindful of how important brushing for 2Minutes 2X’s A Day is for everyone. Brushing is actually fun when you do it together to make sure they get into the nooks and crannies. Check out www.2min2x.org for fun brushing.
What do we need to do?
You’ll need 3 things–A soft toothbrush (age appropriate size), a dab will do ya size of toothpaste (fluoride toothpaste recommended), and floss.
Remember to floss first at night. I know everyone says to brush and floss. Flossing first allows you to take out all the yucky stuff that gets caught in between your child’s teeth (and there’s always stuff) then you brush all that away at once.
If you floss second, then you’ll have to brush again to brush that in between the teeth stuff away.
When do we start?
If you haven’t already, National Brush Day is a great day to start. This way National Brush Day will be your family’s anniversary for good oral heath!
HAPPY NATIONAL BRUSH DAY from US to You!
Tell us how your family celebrated National Brush Day. What’s your routine for your child’s healthy teeth and dazzling smile? Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com or Message us, Send us a Comment and Like us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
Halloween will soon be here. What costume will your child wear? Will it be trick or will it be treat?
If you choose treats, what will they be? and what will you do to keep their teeth healthy?
Check out these tips for a happy Halloween –
*If it’s sticky, it gets stucky and that’s so yucky! Staying away from taffy, dried fruits, caramels, and other chewy, sticky candy is a good idea.
**When choosing candy less sticky and less sour goodies like pretzels, xylitol gum, and smooth chocolate are a good choice. Chocolate without any mix-ins is great because it slides off their teeth.
***Drink water to help wash away the sticky gooey chewy candies. Water is really good for you and your teeth.
****After trick or treating it’s important to make sure to brush their teeth and remember to floss before you brush. It takes 2 Minutes of brushing to clean away all the candy and flossing to remove what has gotten in between their teeth. Keeping up your flossing and brushing routine is important every day.
*****Select with your child their top 5 favorite pieces of candy. Allow them to eat all these choices with in a specific time period rather than continually snacking throughout the night and next day. By doing this you’re one and done and everyone is happy.
Follow these tips for spooktacular teeth.
Happy Halloween!
Tell us about your Halloween plans, costume, whether you tricked or treated, and what your child’s candy choices were. Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com or Message us, Send us a Comment and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
As parents we always want the best for our children and will explore all options available to us.
A question we have been receiving a lot recently from parents is about the type of toothbrush their child should be using. Specifically whether to use a regular toothbrush (manual brush) or an electric toothbrush.
What Are The Benefits Of A Manual Toothbrush?
Manual toothbrushes come in lots of sizes, shapes, and colors. There are many varieties that have children’s favorite characters on them. They are light weight, easy to hold, and don’t need to be plugged into an electrical outlet or have batteries changed.
What Are The Benefits Of An Electric Toothbrush?
Electric toothbrushes take the work out of brushing. The brush’s bristles move in a circular motion, mimicking what you and your child would need to do with a manual brush. Some brushes already have the bristles angled (45 degrees) to the gum line for effective tooth and gum cleaning.
Many electric toothbrushes come in children’s favorite characters and colors. These brushes encourage your child to brush for the correct amount of time (2Minutes 2X’s A Day) because they come with a built-in timer. Some timers play music, some flashing lights, some talk, some make buzzing sounds, some simply stop.
How Do I Choose The Right Toothbrush For My Child?
Here are some helpful tips when looking for your child’s toothbrush —
1. Select a child-size toothbrush (or electric toothbrush handle) for easier holding, use and comfort,
2. Choose a child-size head on a child-size manual or electric toothbrush,
3. Select a toothbrush or toothbrush head with soft bristles,
4. Include your child in the decision, the more involved your child is in selecting their toothbrush the more willing they are to (or allow you to) use the brush.
Children should have their teeth brushed for them until they have the motor skills and dexterity they need. A good rule to judge this is when your child can fully bathe or shower on their own as well as wash, dry and style their hair all on their own.
Taking Care Of My Child’s Toothbrush
Taking care of your child’s (and your) toothbrush is always important; whether you choose a manual brush or an electric toothbrush. Always rinse the toothbrush head after each and every use with water.
Check the brush’s bristles for wear and change their toothbrush or toothbrush head (if electric) every 3 months. If anyone has been ill, change their brush (or brush head) after their illness.
Remember what’s most important is for you to feel comfortable and confident taking care of your child’s oral health.
Let us know which brush you prefer — Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com or Message us, Like us, and Send us a Comment on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
Back to school means there is a lot of learning going on right now! We thought we would add a lesson in ourselves.
Today we’re going over the proper tooth brushing technique. So grab your tooth brushes, and put our knowledge into action.
Tooth brushing is the best way to remove plaque from your child’s teeth and gums to help prevent cavities. Remember it’s 2Minutes 2X’s A Day.
Dental plaque is the sticky stuff that adheres to teeth and forms after eating and drinking every day. The less often you brush the more it accumulates. The more it grows on teeth the higher the risk of cavities.
Step 1. For a gentle and through tooth brush cleaning always use a small head soft bristle tooth brush,
Step 2. Starting on the Outside of your child’s Front Teeth – Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gum line and move around the tooth in little circles,
Step 3. Keep going around as you move towards the Outside of the Back Teeth and keep the brush going in the same way,
Step 4. Now turn the brush onto the Inside of the Back Teeth and keep going along in circles as you come up to the Front Teeth,
Step 5. When you come to the Inside of the Top and Bottom Front Teeth turn your brush vertically and keep brushing in circles up and down the tooth,
Step 6. Now it’s onto those Chewing Surfaces where you’ll hold the brush flat and brush in a gentle back and forth motion, and don’t forget
Step 7. Gently brush their tongue to remove food particles and freshen breath.
It doesn’t take that much toothpaste to brush their whole mouth and tongue.
Your child is younger than 3 years old use a rice-grain size (think teeny tiny dab) of toothpaste.
If your child is 3 years old to 6 years old use a small pea size amount of toothpaste.
When your child is over 6 years old you can still use a small pea size amount of toothpaste and really don’t need much more than a regular pea size amount of paste as they get older (yes even for tweens and teens).
2 good rules to follow is every 3 to 4 months because the tooth brush bristles start to wear out and fray so they become less effective for brushing, or if your child has been sick.
Playing your child’s favorite music during tooth brushing time helps make the time fly by.
Tell us about your tooth brushing routine or favorite tunes you like to play.
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More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
We’re celebrating ToothsDay today
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.
Tell us how you celebrated Toothsday.
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More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
In the Know for You to Know
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.
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
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