Good health habits begin at home and a child’s daycare or preschool environment should support them.
Daycare providers and preschool teachers can help toddlers maintain good dental hygiene by allowing them to practice brushing while in their care and by providing activities and lesson that focus on dental health.
Basic Toddler Dental Care
Toddlers should have their teeth brushed twice each day using water and a soft-bristled toothbrush until the age of 2 or 3. Fluoridated toothpaste should be introduced when a child is 2-3 years of age, consistent with the guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. In addition, children should have their first visit to the dentist by their first birthday.
When brushing a toddler’s teeth, use a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Supervise brushing to be sure that the toddler spits the toothpaste out after brushing instead of swallowing the excess. If the toddler has not learned to spit out excess toothpaste, try buying non-fluoridated toothpaste.
Getting Reluctant Toddlers to Brush
It is normal to encounter some resistance to teeth brushing with toddlers. Whether it’s getting them to practice brushing on their own or an attempt to assist, toddler tooth brushing can be a struggle. Here are some tips that encourage toddlers to brush:
- Offer fun electric toothbrushes. There are dozens on the market and children can select their favorite colors or characters. Electric toothbrushes can be more effective than standard toothbrushes and children love using them.
- Ask toddlers to sing a song as they brush or set a musical timer for two minutes so that children will get in the habit of brushing for the recommended length of time.
- Use a simple reward system. A colorful sticker after every successful brushing session is a great incentive.
- Be a good role model. Toddlers can watch child care providers brush and floss after meals and smack. Adults and children may also brush their teeth side by side so that teachers can model and explain proper tooth brushing techniques.
Dental Health Lessons and Activities for Preschoolers
- Create a simple lesson plan focusing on the importance of dental hygiene, foods that are good and bad for teeth, and how people develop cavities. Also describe the role of a dentist plays and the importance of visiting the dentist’s office regularly.
- Read stories with characters that love tooth brushing, such as Brush Your Teeth Please, a pop-up board book by Reader's Digest [Reader’s Digest, 1993].
- Visit Colgate’s website to receive a free Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Future dental health kit for preschool classrooms which includes curriculum ideas, handouts, teaching aids, and activities.
- Children learn through play. Put on a puppet show with an endearing character demonstrating good dental hygiene habits. Also include dental items (tooth brushes, white smocks, dental mirrors, etc.) in the dramatic play area so that children can “play dentist”.
Dental health activities and lessons encourage healthy dental hygiene habits in toddlers and help prevent tooth decay. Remember that children are not able to sufficiently clean their own teeth until they are around 6 or 7 years of age, so always let them practice but then follow it up with thorough cleaning by an adult. This helps them develop a sense of independence and autonomy while learning lifelong dental hygiene.
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