4 Dental Tips for Kids in School
You can help your child have outstanding oral health the entire school year by following these four dental tips!
- Pack Healthy Snacks & Lunches
One of the best ways your child can maintain great oral health is with a healthy diet. At home and at school, encourage them to drink water and milk, and to limit their consumption of fruit juice, soda, and sports drinks. Moreover, we all know that school cafeterias may not always have the healthiest options between chicken nuggets, pizza, nachos, grilled cheese, and cookies. To provide your child with a diet low in starches and sugars, pack them healthy foods like salad, sandwiches with whole-wheat bread, carrots and celery with hummus, cheese and whole-grain crackers, nuts, yogurt, and fresh fruit. If they like buying food from the cafeteria, review healthy choices with them and discuss what options they should be avoiding.
- Have Them Wear a Mouthguard When Playing Sports
If your child plays contact sports, they should be wearing a mouthguard. A mouthguard will help protect your child’s teeth so they can play sports without worrying about chipping or losing a tooth. Mouthguards can also be a huge money saver for you because buying a mouthguard is a lot more cost-effective than paying a big emergency dental bill if something happens to your child’s teeth.
- Encourage Them to Practice Good Dental Habits at Home
Teach and encourage your child to have good oral health practices now so they will be more likely to continue them throughout their life. Get them into a routine of brushing their teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste after they wake up and brushing their teeth again before bedtime. Additionally, make sure they floss their teeth at least once a day with either traditional string floss or a water flosser made for kids. If you have younger children who need a little more motivation to get into the routine, let them pick out a toothbrush with their favorite cartoon character on it, or play their favorite song for two minutes while they brush.
- Schedule Regular Checkups & Cleanings for Your Child
Before your schedules get hectic with holiday parties, gift shopping, soccer practices, etc., bring your child in to Today’s Dental for their routine checkup and cleaning. These should happen every six months and are vital to helping your child achieve a healthy and happy smile. By bringing your child for preventive care, you are ensuring that in the long run your child won’t miss school due to serious dental health issues. Clean, healthy teeth can also help give your child the confidence to make friends and do well in school.
