Brushing, Flossing and Diet- Oh My!

Brushing, Flossing and Diet- Oh My! | Kids Toothbrush Club

In Honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month and National Tooth Fairy Day, Jake and Judy are going on an adventure, led by the Tooth Fairy, to the wonderful Wizard of Teeth (also known as the dentist). On their journey, they will learn the must-haves of a healthy smile– brushing, flossing and diet– Oh My!
This sounds like a lot of work, but by starting at a young age and putting a positive turn on dentist visits, as well as tooth maintenance, you will alleviate the negative stigma and fear associated with dentist visits. First things first, get them while they’re young. Start a routine and teach proper brushing, flossing and diet at a young age. It’s a good investment in their health that will pay off as they reach adulthood.
Start with your own teeth and set a good example (this may help you, too!). Dentists recommend that you supervise your child brushing until they reach age 6. You can always spin this activity by brushing and flossing with your child, which will help guide them and teach them the proper way to brush their own teeth. Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles and start brushing on the inside of their mouth, where the most amount of plaque accumulates, followed by brushing the regular outside areas. Make sure it’s a habit for them to brush after every meal. The fresh new toothbrush and fun activities in a monthly kit from Kids Toothbrush Club will help your child with this daily routine that will soon become a life-long habit!
Flossing is also very important and should be taught by age 4. By the time they are 8, they may begin to floss by themselves. A fun activity to show the importance of flossing is by spreading peanut butter on the insides of your fingers and using a toothbrush to brush it off. The fingers represent teeth and the peanut butter represents the plaque on your teeth. You’ll see that although the outsides of your fingers may be clean, the insides still have peanut butter stuck to them.
Flossing helps remove leftover plaque, but snacking can build it back up again. We all want our children to eat a well-balanced diet. This is easily achieved with all the healthy food options now available. Avoiding sugary or starchy foods, such as soda, chips or vending machine candy, your child avoids plaque acids that cause plaque buildup. He or she also drastically decreases the risk of the dreaded C word–Cavity. Also, the amount of snacking should be limited. When your child does eat sugar and starch, it’s best to do so with a meal. The extra saliva produced during meals allows food to rinse from the mouth.
Most dentists recommend dental visits by the age of two. Spin the dentist visit as a positive experience so as they grow up they won’t see the dentist as “scary.”
Kids Toothbrush Club members already have a weight lifted off their shoulders in the monthly kits they receive, which provides kids with a new toothbrush as well as creative, fun activities geared toward healthy dental maintenance. Down the road your kids will thank you when their dental report shows no cavities, dentist bills are low and their teeth are healthy and white. “Because every child deserves a healthy smile.”

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