Fun and Engaging Dental Activities For Kids

17 Sep Fun and Engaging Dental Activities For Kids

It can be difficult to teach the importance of oral health to children. A few lessons now can make a difference in how their healthy habits evolve as they get older. Not to mention, problems with baby teeth can impact permanent teeth, making oral care all the more important. That’s why parents and teachers around the country are participating in fun activities to help kids learn how to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile for life.

Toothbrush Painting Teaches Brushing Movements

Cut a tooth shape from a large sheet of paper. Give your children old toothbrushes and let them dip it into poster paint and brush the paper tooth as if it’s their own. Show them how to make movements up and down, back and forth and circularly on the painting. Be sure to remind them that old toothbrushes are for painting and not to be put in their mouths!

Eggtastic Experiment

Submerge a hard-boiled egg into a clear glass of coca-cola or grape juice for 24 hours. Notice how the eggshell forms discoloration. Hard-boiled eggs are made of calcium carbonate, similar to an enamel material. Invite your children to gently brush the egg with a toothbrush and toothpaste. As they remove the stain, ask them what might have caused the stain. Now discuss why toothbrushing is so important after eating.

Daily Toothbrushing Chart

Kids are visual and hands-on learners. Building a daily toothbrush log together is a good way to visually keep track of toothbrushing habits and to show the importance of daily toothbrushing. There are many fun and visually pleasing charts that could be exciting to your children. Draw a large outline of a big grin on a poster board with black marker and hang it on the wall. Each day that your children brush their teeth, invite them to glue one dried white navy bean on the gum part to look like a tooth. By the end of the month, you will have a beautiful grin smiling back at you!