Three Things Your Kids May Not Be Doing To Protect Their Teeth

By: Jeffery Williams, Guest Blogger from Oradyne

Almost 20% of kids have tooth decay before they can even spell the words “tooth decay”. That’s right, one fifth of children between the ages of four and five already have issues with their teeth. That certainly goes to show that it’s not an easy thing to do – getting your kids to take care of their teeth can actually be pretty hard.

The first step in solving problems though is to identify them in the first place. Below are three common areas where kids struggle with oral health.

Not Brushing Long Enough

Simply put, kids don’t brush their teeth for the recommended two minutes. To be honest, neither do adults. In fact studies show even those who think they’re brushing for that long probably aren’t. There are three easy ways to fix this though:

1. Get a toothbrush with a timer. That leaves no room for error – just have your child keep brushing until the darned thing vibrates. 
2. If that doesn’t work, simply get a stopwatch for them to use (or use an app on your phone).
3. Finally, in case they’re getting bored brushing their teeth (two minutes is a long time after all) play a favorite song or watch a video like Choosy Kids Brush My Smile until time is up.

Not Flossing

Only about half of adults in the US regularly floss, and those numbers are even worse for children. It’s not without reason though – finding four or five minutes to thoroughly floss your teeth amid the morning chaos is a tall order.

The easiest solution to this is to leverage technology to cut that flossing time out. Water flossers can speed up the process of flossing to only 60 seconds. Even better, there are several models out there that focus specifically on getting kids excited to use them. It’s amazing how far some bright colors and a few stickers can go!

If a water flosser is out of your budget, try getting your kids to dedicate one or two minutes of flossing instead of the full five. Even a shorter time can make a big difference. Teach your children how to floss their teeth with this fun playdough and Mega blocks method.

Chewing Gum

Back in my playground days, chewing gum was worth its weight in gold. Kids (and adults alike) can nearly get addicted to it. Unfortunately, most chewing gum is awful for your teeth.

The general rule of thumb is that every snack, drink or meal (including a stick of gum) can cause an acid attack on your teeth for up to twenty minutes. Several pieces of gum a day can literally ruin your kids’ teeth. If you can’t get your children to kick the habit, get them to try a sugar free or xylitol option.

Wrap Up

Keeping up your kid’s oral health can be pretty challenging. Keeping the suggestions mentioned here can ultimately make a big difference in your child’s oral health. What do you do to support healthy dental habits in children?

About the Author: Purveyor of clean teeth, healthy gums and super smiles, Jeffery Williams is a tried and true oral health expert. When he’s not researching and writing articles for his website, Oradyne.net, he’s out conquering the northern forests of Washington State with his wife Violet.  Download his free Oral Health e-book to change the way you care for your teeth and improve your smile for life. Follow Oradyne on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Three Areas You Can Focus on When Teaching Your Kids About Keeping Their Teeth Clean

By: Jeffery Williams, Guest Blogger from Oradyne

We tend to have a one-track mind when it comes to oral health: keep those teeth clean. The reality is that oral health can be about far more than combating cavities.

And I’m not even talking about gum health, bad breath or braces. I’m talking about bigger issues. Dental care is one of the earliest consistent routines that we teach our kids and often times that goes unnoticed. If you take a step back, you’ll realize that encouraging your kids to regularly brush, floss and rinse will set them up for success in the future. Below are three major areas you can focus on when teaching your kids about keeping their teeth clean.

Consistency

The idea of working on something little by little every day is something that’s difficult for kids to grasp. Studies show that almost 95% of college kids procrastinate on homework and studying for exams. These issues can be crushed early on if handled properly.

Take the opportunity after your child’s next dentist appointment (whether it’s good or bad) and talk about what the dentist had to say. Reinforce the idea of regularly working toward a goal every day and help your child understand how living a consistent lifestyle can be beneficial.

Long Term Results

Understanding the benefit of long-term commitment is another area that many kids struggle with, regardless of age. When most school projects have a timeline of days or weeks, it can be difficult for a growing child to get experience working toward a goal over a longer period of time.

Sit down with your child and create one, three and six month goals for their teeth and oral health. Make sure they continue to work toward them and give them proper credit when they complete. Completing a goal they’ve been working toward for half a year can be pretty a powerful and impactful experience for your child.

Realistic Expectations

With movie stars and super models across the news, magazines and Internet, it can be difficult for kids to understand what normal human bodies are supposed to look like. This can spiral into a myriad of self-confidence issues in later years which can take an eternity for them to deal with.

While everyone on TV seems to have blisteringly white teeth, the fact of the matter is that healthy teeth can be many different shades of color, including yellow. It’s perfectly acceptable if their teeth aren’t perfectly white, and it’s important they know that. Sit down with your child and use their oral care to help them understand what’s realistic and what isn’t.

Wrap Up

Whether it’s consistency, understanding long-term results or figuring out what’s normal in our world, your child’s oral health is a fantastic tool to teach them about more than toothbrushes and toothpaste. Make sure to sit down with your child and discuss some of these issues early-on. They’ll thank you for it later.

Since October is National Dental Hygiene Month, download this poster and start the conversation with your family.

About the Author: Purveyor of clean teeth, healthy gums and super smiles, Jeffery Williams is a tried and true oral health expert. When he’s not researching and writing articles for his website, Oradyne.net, he’s out conquering the northern forests of Washington State with his wife Violet.  Download his free Oral Health e-book to change the way you care for your teeth and improve your smile for life. Follow Oradyne on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Teach Children How To Floss Their Teeth

By: Christine Cox, The Choosy Mommy

Did you know that only about 50% of Americans actually floss their teeth daily, according to the American Dental Association? That leaves only half of the population to teach their children the importance of flossing and how to do it properly. Now is the time to make a change. 

When Can A Child Floss?

As soon as your child has two teeth beside each other, start a flossing routine. I personally have found the floss sticks to be a great help as they are easy to get in between teeth. After speaking with my dentist, he said they are wonderful, as long as you are moving them around once between the teeth. That got me thinking…how can I teach my children how to floss their own teeth?

Get Creative!

Hands-on learning is one of the many ways children can learn. By doing hands-on learning and experiments at home, children can dive deeper into their thinking and retention when doing whatever the lesson is in real life. I looked around my living room trying to think of a way to teach my daughter how to floss and then it came to me! Mega blocks and Legos!

In this example, I used the Mega Blocks to represent her teeth and put playdough in the space between to represent the plaque that can get stuck in between and on our teeth. I gave her the exact floss stick that I have always used to floss her teeth and explained to her the representation of teeth and plaque. 

After a quick lesson of how to properly insert the floss stick between the “teeth”, she went straight to trying it on the Mega Block. She learned quickly to move the floss stick up and down on the Mega Block to make sure she got all of the playdough out. I was so pleased with this activity and she really grasped a good understanding of how to floss her own teeth.

Not Just For Kids

Everyone should floss their teeth at least once a day. Daily flossing helps remove plaque from in between and on the teeth where it can easily create cavities. If your child is still drinking from a bottle, and has two teeth beside each other, flossing is even more important to make sure you get all of the excess milk off of the teeth. At the same time, removing plaque helps reduce the risk of gum disease or gingivitis which can result in bleeding and inflamed gums.

A great resource for additional information about keeping children's teeth health is from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Do your children floss with your help?? At what age did you introduce it?

About the Author: Christine Cox is the blog master for Choosy Kids and owner of The Choosy Mommy. She has always had a passion for writing and is honored to contribute her work to this blog. Most of her writing inspiration comes from her daughter, Capri, who is fun-loving and full of energy, and son Cam, who is learning new things everyday. Click here to learn more about Christine.

Just a Little on the Middle of My Brush

By: Molly Luke, Early Intervention Specialized Instruction Teacher, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Norristown, PA

February is here! The month we are reminded that dental hygiene is very important. I am excited to share some dental hygiene tips with you so you and your family can be brushing champions!

Choosy says to brush after meals, or twice a day so let’s try to get on track with this. Start your month off right by hanging a calendar in the bathroom where you and your children brush your teeth. Place a simple color scribble or sticker to track when everyone brushes their teeth on the calendar. When you promote this routine with your little ones, it won’t feel like a battle and will just become an expectation - as routine as putting on clothes when going to school!

Need some motivation? Take a trip to the store to pick out a special toothbrush, rinse cup and flavored toothpaste. Another fun thing is to watch “How It’s Made-Toothpaste”. Take a trip to that factory and see how it forms and the travel to the store.

Another fun thing is to attempt to make your own toothpaste- mostly a baking soda formula. I had my son try homemade toothpaste when he was being a typical-difficult toddler. He hated it- obviously! So when the fruity toothpaste was offered again, he didn’t think twice and easily accepted it.

Most day care and preschool facilities require a dental record at age three. Have you signed up for an appointment yet? To practice, start taking your young one to sit on your lap for your routine 6-month check up. Get them familiarized with the facility, chair, lights and sounds they may hear. And of course- the doctors that wear masks! Most places will pass on FREE masks, toothbrushes, gloves and other items that you can take home. Add this gear to your imagination/dramatic play area at home to reenact a dentist trip. Literature is another way to start pre-teaching about the experience. The more information you can provide prior to the experience, the more comfortable your child may be when the event occurs. Don’t forget CHOOSY’s “BRUSH MY SMILE” short clip that coincides with the music. Watch a neighborhood friend “put a little on the middle of his brush”, brush during certain times of the day and have the happy healthy smile check-up from the dentist.

There are also two dental hygiene activities that I look forward to each year with my students. A little messy, but FUN! Painting. But not just any painting, use a toothbrush as your paint brush! Grab a piece of paper and just free paint using watercolor, tempera paint or even toothpaste. Draw a smile or some teeth if necessary, and “whiten” them up.

The other requires two HARD BOILED white eggs, milk, cola soda, toothbrush, tooth paste and two bowls or cups (clear if possible). After boiling the eggs, place one egg in a container with milk and the other in a container with cola. Let them sit (covered or uncovered) in the refrigerator over night. The next day, see how the eggs change color- just as if you have unhealthy food and drink how your teeth enamel will alter. Use toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently attempt to brush away the stains on the eggs (light pressure, but hard boiled eggs are better than non-hardboiled eggs!). Great before and after teeth science!

However you practice your dental hygiene, just take a moment in the month of February to check in on your healthy routine- and don’t rush!

How did you encourage your children to brush their teeth? How old were they when they finally made it a daily routine without your reminders?

About the Author: Hello! I have been teaching for about 10 years now, ages Pre-K through 8th grade…needless to say, I am a life-long learner and always looking for new thing to challenge my body and brain to do in a classroom! Outside of the classroom, family comes first! My husband Dan, baby Marshall and basset hound Penelope enjoy my naturally caffeinated personality on a regular basis. The whole family enjoys traveling, and I personally have a goal of visiting all 7 continents! 2 more to go! 

Brushing My Child’s Teeth: How Can I Help?

By: Amy Requa, MSN, CRNP

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? It’s actually good timing, especially since children will be chowing down on their fair share of candy this weekend! The extra candy gives us an even better reason to think more about brushing teeth! Many parents of young children ask: “What is the best method for brushing my child’s teeth?” Well, often a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few photographs of different positions and methods that parents and caregivers can use to help young children with toothbrushing!  

Photos courtesy of Joanna Douglass, BDS, DDS

In the photo on the left, the adult sits in a chair while brushing the child’s teeth from behind. The child stands and leans back on the caregiver’s lap, using the adult’s legs for balance. See how the adult carefully stabilizes the child’s head, gently lifting or lightly pressing the lips away from the teeth with one hand, while brushing the teeth with the other? This actually makes it much easier for the adult to brush all surfaces of the teeth while the child still feels secure and won’t squirm away. Looking down at the child’s mouth from behind makes the child’s teeth more accessible to the brush, especially at the gum line where sticky plaque is most likely to build up in that space between the teeth and the gums. The plaque is the build up of sticky germs mixing with food/drink on all the surfaces of the teeth. Plaque eventually breaks down tooth enamel if it is allowed to stay on the teeth. The plaque on the surfaces of the teeth needs to be brushed away twice a day: in the morning and at night, right before your child goes to bed.

In the photo on the right, this toddler is allowed to stand up, probably on the couch, while the mom holds the child’s hands during brushing. After all, who says you have to brush your child’s teeth standing in front of the sink in the bathroom? You don’t! Use a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste and your child does not need to spit it out, so you can brush your child’s teeth anywhere in your home, maybe when your child is sitting in her highchair, playing in the bathtub, or joining you on the couch. 

Here are the most current guidelines from the American Dental Association: 

• For children younger than 3 years, caregivers should begin brushing children’s teeth, with a soft child-sized toothbrush, as soon as teeth begin to come into the mouth. Use a fluoride toothpaste in an amount no more than a smear or the size of a grain of rice. 
• Brush teeth thoroughly twice per day (morning and night) or as directed by a dentist or physician. 
• For children 3 to 6 years of age, caregivers should apply no more than a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste to the soft toothbrush.  
• Adults should assist with toothbrushing until age 7 or 8.
• Replace toothbrushes when bristles appear worn (usually after 3-6 months)

How old were your children when you started to brush their teeth? Did they enjoy it? Have any tips to share on how you brushed their teeth?

References: 

Fluoride toothpaste efficacy and safety in children younger than 6 years: A systematic review. J. Timothy 
Wright, Nicholas Hanson, Helen Ristic, Clifford W. Whall, Cameron G. Estrich and Ronald R. Zentz, JADA 2014; 145(2):182-189. 

Fluoride Toothpaste Use for Young Children, American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs, JADA 2014; 145(2):190-191. 

About the Author: Amy Requa, MSN, CRNP, CPNP-PC, is a board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She has 20 years of experience in public health nursing, maternal and child health, family and community health promotion and has extensive health expertise in oral health, childhood obesity prevention and child nutrition. Click here to learn more about Amy.

Mom, Get off the Couch!

By: Christine Cox, The Choosy Mommy

There are some mornings that it is hard to get out of bed. I swear I just put my 2 year old to sleep an hour ago (but really it was like 9 hours ago) and now she is up and roaring to start the day. Milk in her hand, coffee in mine and we sit down so I can slowly wake up while she watches her favorite TV show.

Some days are harder than others to get motivated and move. Many moms can relate to this I am sure. We are tired! Being a mom is a full time job on top of whatever else you may do outside of the home. But for our children’s sake, we need to get off the couch and move! By being a healthy role model for our children, they can learn healthy habits from us that will last a lifetime. But where can a parent find the resources to help children move more and form healthy habits at an early age?

Not since Popeye has there been a health-hero for children. Research has demonstrated that children’s characters are profoundly influential. Choosy Kids can help promote healthy habits in your family that will stick with everyone for years to come. When used consistently, health messages paired with the image of Choosy can become familiar and favored.

Healthy habits can include simple things like teaching our children how to brush their teeth and wash their hands properly. Health also coincides with nutrition and Choosy Kids focuses on reducing the number of obese children in our country. It is an epidemic that needs to change sooner rather than later. To do this, children need to move! Movement is another Choosy theme. Through Choosy Kids’ music and DVDs, children can learn about their bodies, how to move them and how to be healthy all while having fun!

Now mom, I know what you are thinking. “Great, another annoying kid’s song to get stuck in my head.” WRONG! Choosy Kids music is fantastic. I bet you’ll even be bobbing your head while listening and dancing along with the directional movements!

I know that I will do what it takes to teach my children healthy habits while they are at home because once they go to school, they will learn to explore other choices that weren’t available at home (vending machines!!!) So let’s all be Choosy Moms, healthy role models, and active play partners to promote healthy habits in our families.

About the Author: Christine Cox is the blog master and The Choosy Mommy for Choosy Kids. She has always had a passion for writing and is honored to contribute her work to this blog. Most of her writing inspiration comes from her daughter, Capri, who is fun-loving and full of energy, and newborn son Cam. Click here to learn more about Christine.

The Powers of a Purple Cape: The Choosy Story

By: Christine Cox, The Choosy Mommy

Super heroes come in all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, so on and so forth. They have different sources of power and types of weapons. And for many of our heroes, a cape is part of their costume, and they too come in a wide array of colors and designs.

Did you ever think about the powers of a super hero’s cape? Some capes help heroes fly and others shield them from villains. But the cape that I specifically want to tell you about is worn by a super hero who is green and has antennae and fur! You may have never heard of this super hero before, but believe me when I say that this super hero’s powers help us all, especially when it comes to health, brushing your teeth and eating fruits and veggies!

Choosy is our super hero’s name and Choosy means Choose Healthy Options Often and Start Young. It is really up to you to decide if Choosy is a boy or a girl, or really what “life form” Choosy is. When interviewing children, we have learned that sometimes Choosy is referred to as a bug or an alien. Some children think Choosy is probably a boy because of the red backwards hat upon its head and others (usually little girls) think Choosy is a girl because of the purple hair. Regardless, what we do know is that Choosy harnesses a special power – the purple cape.

Choosy’s cape symbolizes empowerment. The power of making healthy choices even though unhealthy options are available everywhere. When children make healthy decisions about physical activity, nutrition, and dental habits, they are overcoming massive media marketing and sometimes even family preferences. Choosy is a messenger and a motivator and the cape empowers young children to be champions of choice ---- the healthy choice.

Choosy is a health hero. Do you know of other health heroes? Not since Popeye has there been a health-hero for children. Research has demonstrated that children’s characters are profoundly influential – like the super heroes you were thinking of earlier! Choosy can help promote healthy habits in your family, agency, classroom, clinic or community, which is really a super power! Choosy’s uniqueness includes health messages and reminders embedded in lively music. When used consistently, health messages paired with the image of Choosy can become familiar and favored.

Choosy is my toddler’s super hero. She always points out what Choosy would say if we made an unhealthy choice or is positive in stating that Choosy would be happy that we are brushing our teeth. Day care, pre-school and even kindergarten teachers love to use Choosy in their classroom, and physicians and dentists love to show off how strong Choosy’s muscles and teeth are in the office.

Super heroes are around us everywhere. What we need to remember is that it doesn’t matter what they look like but rather what their super powers harness.

Check out more about Choosy on our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and view videos of Choosy dancing on our YouTube page!

About the Author: Christine Cox is the blog master and The Choosy Mommy for Choosy Kids. She has always had a passion for writing and is honored to contribute her work to this blog. Most of her writing inspiration comes from her daughter, Capri, who is fun-loving and full of energy, and newborn son Cam. Click here to learn more about Christine.

Brush Up On Dental Health Habits

By: Dr. Linda Carson

2x2 = not just 4 anymore. Now 2x2 is about healthy teeth. One of the messages that the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) would like to emphasize this year is the importance of brushing teeth for two minutes, two times a day.

In an effort to help parents better understand why ignoring dental health can have serious consequences, and to educate families about good dental health habits, the Ad Council and The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives created new PSAs for the Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign.

The new PSAs are humorous depictions of life lessons which make the point that while parenting can be tricky at times, getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day can be easier than most other things parents will try to teach their children. Watch one here http://adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/Health/Children-s-Oral-Health. Busy parents will relate the funny scenarios in the PSA’s.

One more great resource for you is Kids’ Healthy Mouths. Among other oral health themes, this website has very helpful resources for the 2min2x campaign. There are 2 minute videos, posters, incentive ideas for charting brushing behaviors and routines, and videos for informing parents about the importance of helping young children brush for two minutes, twice a day.

You can also watch Choosy’s two minute video below to see additional messages and reminders, or use the song sample from our store. Many children have been very willing to brush teeth until the two minute song stops playing. 

Tell us about the strategies you use in your home for brushing teeth with your young children.

About the Author: Linda Carson, Ed. D, is the founder and CEO of Choosy Kids, LLC, and the Ware Distinguished Professor Emerita at West Virginia University. An award winning, nationally recognized expert, Dr. Carson has devoted her career to promoting healthy preferences for young children and the adults who make decisions on their behalf. Click here to learn more about Linda.