Timeline: Oral Care for Ages 2-5
Happy “Tooth-Day”!
Farah Flossit here, hoping you are having a good start to a great day!
As a continuation to last week’s report, today I will be touching on continued Oral Care for children ages 2-5, fun toothbrushes for kids based on an informal survey, & important information to prepare for Halloween (making smart choices to help fight off the Mouth Monsters).
Below you will find the important tips from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (for ages 2-5) to help keep your child’s mouth free of creatures like Tartar the Terrible, Ginger Bite-Us, & Tooth D.K.
- Remember to brush your child’s teeth at least TWICE A DAY (for at least 2 mins), once in the morning & once at night. The most important time to brush your child’s teeth in RIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME.
- Schedule dental visits EVERY SIX MONTHS to keep away Mouth Monsters, especially the dreaded Tooth D.K. The routine cleanings at regular check-ups help remove pests like Tartar the Terrible & Ginger Bite-Us.
- Sucking on a thumb, finger, & pacifier can affect your child’s teeth the same way; sucking for prolonged periods of time may cause the upper front teeth to tip outward or not come in properly. Most children stop this habit on their own; if not, try to DISCOURAGE IT BY AGE 3 or ask your dentist for other creative ideas.
- Keep an EYE ON SNACKING-ideally children should have no more than 3 snacks a day.
- Parents can begin FLOSSING for their children when any 2 teeth are touching.
- AVOID JUICES which literally bathe teeth in sugar. Try to limit the amount of juice you give your child to less than 6 oz. per day.
- Talk to your child’s pediatric dentist about the RIGHT AMOUNT OF FLUORIDE for your child. Ask if your child should be brushing with toothpaste that contains fluoride and/or if your child needs a fluoride supplement.
This October whether your kids are attending Halloween parties or trick or treating in the neighborhood, keep on the lookout for ghosts, goblins, & worst of all, Mouth Monsters. These Mouth Monsters known as Ginger Bite-Us, Tartar the Terrible, & Tooth D.K. (don’t forget to print your free coloring activity below). love little teeth covered in candy. Sweets can still be part of the fun on Halloween as long as parents & caregivers help their children practice moderation & proper oral hygiene to keep their mouths healthy.
Below is a helpful chart to help moms & dads make better candy choices & to help parents filter the treats that they bring home on Halloween. Remember that not all sweet treats impact teeth in the same way.
If possible, you can also pass out tricks & treats that are non-food favorites. Some ideas are stickers, temporary tattoos, glow sticks, play doh, sticky hands, etc.
WHAT TO DO?
If your kids did indulge in any kind of candy, ensure they drink plenty of water after eating their yummy treats! Encourage them to swish the water around in the mouth to help dislodge particles that can get stuck & encourage the Mouth Monsters to latch onto tiny teeth. And whatever you do, DO NOT let your young ones go to bed before brushing & flossing if all sides of a tooth cannot be cleaned by brushing alone. It’s a busy, exciting time, but as is the case with every other day of the year, kids should brush their teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day.
SET A LIMIT!
Set the number of treats that your child can keep-you may even want to select a number they can keep from each of the three categories of the sorting grid-& encourage them to donate the rest to other children that are less fortunate.
SURVEY SAYS,…
After asking a handful of children that visited our office, we are now informed about what the top 5 character favorites are for toothbrushes.
For the Girls: Frozen, Hello Kitty, Minnie Mouse, My Little Pony, & Doc Mc Stuffing.
For the Boys: Star Wars, Spider Man, Mickey Mouse, Ninja Turtles, & Thomas the Train.
Any of the above & more can be found at your local Target, Walmart, Kmart, or drugstore. It may be a good idea to show you little ones some of these options to get them excited about brushing & making a trip to the store to pick it up. Keeping children excited about Oral Care is the best way to instill good Oral Hygiene habits from the start.
Thank you for tuning in on today’s Happy “Tooth-Day’s” report!
I look forward to chatting with you all next week!
In the meantime, you can follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casasmilespediatricdentistryandorthodontics?pnref=lhc. Instagram http://instagram.com/casasmiles/, Twitter https://twitter.com/casa_smiles, Yelp http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-smiles-pediatric-dentistry-and-orthodontics-coral-gables & Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/casasmiles/ to hear all about our daily news! You can always call or email us with any questions, concerns, to make an appointment, or for a complimentary Ortho Consultation http://www.casasmiles.com/contact-us/.
Your Friend,
Farah Flossit (Special Agent Flossit)
