Providing our children with good dental care is about more than giving them a good-looking smile. According to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, poor oral health causes kids to miss up to 51 million hours of class time each year and can have a negative impact on their future success.
So what can you do about it? You don’t have to be a dental professional to teach kids about proper oral health. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent or just someone who wants to help kids in your community live healthier lives, we have plenty of great ideas to make teaching easy and learning fun. Read on!
Fun Activities to Encourage Brushing
- Conduct a science experiment simulating tooth enamel using hard-boiled eggs. Check out this example for pre-K kids that’s easily adaptable for older kids as well.
- Make your own toothpaste:
1 tsp baking soda.
1 tsp salt.
1 tsp flavoring (such as peppermint extract).
Mix the ingredients together. You can add 1 tsp of water if you like, mixing everything until it’s a paste. Or, instead of adding water, you can mix the dry ingredients together and then – when you start brushing – simply wet your toothbrush and dip it into the mixture. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
For extra fun, name your toothpaste and create a label for the container.
- Create oral health posters to hang around school or at home. Have students vote on the best poster and award a prize.
- Make a demonstration model. Carefully cut the bottom off a plastic soda bottle. Paint it white to resemble a tooth. Make a runny paste with flour and water (add food coloring if you like) and splatter it on the tooth to resemble food and plaque. Let it harden. Have kids try to brush the flour mixture away. Show how difficult it is once it’s hardened versus before it’s had a chance to sit on the “tooth.” Reinforce the importance of brushing for two minutes twice each day. Alternatives: Use a white egg carton instead of making a tooth. Or check out this fun version with a plaster mold and hardened Play-Doh.
Teaching the Importance of Flossing
- Young children can practice their flossing technique using Lego or Duplo blocks, egg cartons, or ice cube trays. Stick Play-Doh between and around the base of “teeth” and give the kids floss to remove it. Stress the importance of flossing not only to remove food from between the teeth, but also to remove plaque below the gum line to prevent the buildup of tartar.
- Try this Marshmallow Mouth craft. It’s more than a silly tooth-themed project. Use it to teach children proper flossing technique. You can also adapt this activity for younger kids.
Teaching About Foods that Are Healthy for Teeth
- Cut apart a white Styrofoam egg carton to make little “teeth.” Give each child their own “tooth” and have them select a snack from a list of foods that include both tooth-friendly and unhealthy options. If they select a tooth-friendly food, use a highlighter or dry erase marker to color food spots on their tooth. If they select an unhealthy food, use a Sharpie or permanent black marker to color food spots on their tooth. Now give the child a toothbrush to brush away their food spots. Explain that the healthy foods are easy to brush away, but the unhealthy foods are hard to brush away and lead to cavities.
- Show how sugar helps plaque grow with a science experience called “Plaque Attack!” It’s a great way to simulate how sugar feeds the oral bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
More Links to Help You Teach Your Child Dental Health
- For fun teeth facts for kids, check out this dental trivia from Colgate.
- For more information on how to teach your kids healthy dental habits, read this blog from America’s ToothFairy.
Get activity sheets and more from the American Dental Association.