Explaining Oral Hygiene to Children

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

Sometimes explaining the importance of good oral health to your younger children isn’t always easy. And if your child receives a box of sweets from their Valentine tomorrow, they may not understand why you won’t let them eat it all right up.

The sweetness of Valentine’s Day shouldn’t overshadow the importance of February being National Children’s Dental Health Month. So we decided to provide some tips on how to simplify explaining oral hygiene to your little ones so they can better understand why they need to take care of their teeth:

The Basics – Children probably won’t comprehend tooth decay and gum disease. So simplify the concepts to a pre-school level. Explain that when sugar sticks to teeth, tiny ‘sugar bugs’ form and eat away at the teeth leaving small holes (aka cavities). These holes are unhealthy and painful.

Brush Away the Sugar Bugs – Explain to your child that if they brush their teeth really well on both sides and on the bottom, the sugar bugs will be washed away! And that flossing really helps rid them of those sneaky bugs that try and hide. Be sure to tell them they need to brush and floss twice a day in order for it to work!

Say No to Sticky Sweets – Remind your child that sugar rich foods, like candy, cookies, and soda, attract more bugs. And that super sticky sweets like caramel or taffy make it difficult to clean off, leaving the sugar bugs to stay.

Remember, sweets are OK in moderation, just remind your kids after eating some Valentine’s Day treats tomorrow to brush and floss their teeth to rid them of sugar bugs! We hope the above explanations help in your household. Do you have a way of explaining oral health that you use in your family? Share with us on our Facebook page!