I feel funny saying this but, there are some people that don't introduce their toddlers to tooth brushing.
Healthy teeth means a healthy body - so it is very important for the teeth to be brushed at least twice per day.
Some parents have a concern over using fluoride toothpaste. It's OK to use fluoride toothpaste as long as you are encouraging spitting out and only a small pea sized amount is placed on the brush.
Then there is the fact that some parents don't have time for a battle to brush a toddlers teeth. All I can say to that is who's the boss? A good way to get around that battle is to introduce tooth brushing as early as possible and make it part of your daily routine. Parents can model good hygiene habits. Children will emulate parents behaviour, so if you are brushing so will they.
I have always introduced dental care in my classroom. Why? Well it is evident that some children are not practising good dental care by the odour emitted from their mouth and the fact that food can be seen on the teeth - and yes, some children come to school without their mouth wiped after they have eaten.
Practise makes perfect!
Halloween is when I start introducing dental care. Halloween hygiene!
Then throughout the year we revisit the issue to see who is in a good routine of tooth brushing. Which brings me to a great chart that I was privy to through an email contact here at Kreative Resources.
I was given this link to print out individual toothbrushing charts for each child to use at home. I must say I was impressed with the chart - but there was no futher information to present to parents. I felt it required a cover letter introducing the chart with some healthy dental tips for parents and a brief description on how to implement the chart. So I found myself creating my own so that parents would get why I was sending this home. I also would have loved some insentive stickers to place in the areas indicated - showing that tooth brushing had taken place. These could have been offered as a print out or through a mail in offer. The chart also says you win at the end - children will want to know what they win. We as adults get that they win because they have healthy clean teeth but children want something tangible. I always give out toothbrushes in my classroom - but along with the chart there could have been a certificate to print off indicating success.
It was suggested that the children take their chart to their own dentist to show the success they have had - because most dentists do have rewards to offer the children - good idea - as long as the dentist are on board and are aware of the chart and it's value. Again a cover letter to take along with the completed chart for the dentist would be great. This letter could include informing the dentist that this was a part of a school insentive to promote good dental care and a link where we got the chart so that the dentist could also pass the information along to their other patients.
All in all - I loved the chart and the chart was completed by 7 of the 17 children I have in my class. One family asked for another chart, because their son was routine oriented and enjoyed using the chart. Some used their own stickers to fill out the chart - while others simply had their child colour it in. Both well done!
Here is a reward certificate:
I personally love the one above and this is the one I am presenting to my kids!
Some informative links:
Other charts:
I hope this post will encourage you to promote good dental hygine and to make it a part of your curriculum.
Please include how you practice good Dental Health!
You reminded me! I had a bunch of charts printed out and ready to go for our dental week and forgot all about them! Oh no - I will just have to send them home anyway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your link - I love it and glad I reminded you! :)
DeleteSo excited to find a great opportunity for a field trip here in the the States (Baltimore, Maryland)! http://www.dentalmuseum.org/ and they also have great online resources.
ReplyDeleteGreat link - thanks so much for including it!
DeleteI think people don't realise how important the whole issue of children brushing their teeth is until their child starts screaming in pain. This is not a pretty sight and by that stage there's nothing you can do. I'm appalled by the way this gets overlooked by some families who are happy to give their BABY a bottle filled with COKE (!!!!!!) or orange juice despite our words of warning... and pack sweet sticky treats in lunch boxes... good on you Leeanne for prioritising this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding to this linky - it really is over looked for toddlers - sad but true!
DeleteI love that you introduce dental care with the toddlers in your classroom, Leeanne ... the photos are adorable! Thanks so much for hosting the linky! I already pinned the posts to my Dental Health Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/dental-health-unit-study/
ReplyDeleteGreat - thanks for coming by and participating!
DeleteThanks for asking us to share, Leeanne!
ReplyDeleteWe posted our "how to floss" activity ... and here is a link to our Pinterest board with more doctor and dentist ideas: http://pinterest.com/theseedsnetwork/doctors-and-dentists
:-)
Awesome thanks so much!
DeleteI love the big sets of teeth you have for brushing. We cut off the bottom of 2 liter soda bottles which resemble teeth and practice brushing on those. There are so many wonderful activities to promote dental health. Here is a link to a few photos from my child care.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=oa.10150580525717466&type=1
Wonderful thanks for sharing! I love the pop bottle idea!
DeleteI don't have photos of this activity to share but to encourage flossing, we have the children sit side by side (as if they were teeth) and have one child "floss" between the children with a string.
DeleteOh great idea!
DeleteThanks for the opportunity to share, and see what everyone else is doing to teach Dental Health! It is definitely an important subject to cover with our little ones :) My Son is now the one reminding me to brush teeth after our "Eggsperiment" in Preschool. It was a great way to teach what could happen to our teeth if we don't brush ;) Thanks again for this link up!
ReplyDeletehttp://fitkidsclub.blogspot.com/2012/02/clubhouse-teeth-and-our-first-giveaway.html
Thanks for the link up Ms Liz - love that your son is the one reminding!
DeleteI don't have any ideas right now (well I have one from something I did years ago when I was interning in a daycare which I may do with my girls and then share, but...) however, I did pin this and share on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteOK great - thanks for pinning and sharing!
DeleteThank you for an informative blog which gives helpful information.a healthy smile is an important part of overall health.
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Thanks for letting me know about the linky! I added my link.
ReplyDeleteLori @ Cachey Mama’s Classroom
Awesome!
DeleteHere is a link for another post I did about dental health. Too bad your linky is closed. http://preschoolteacher81.blogspot.com/2012/09/brushing-teeth-activity.html
DeleteLori @ Cachey Mama’s Classroom
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