Shifting from pool-packed afternoons to early-morning drop-offs can be quite the transition. In all the excitement of back-to-school,it’s the perfect time to brush up on your child’s dental hygiene and health! To help kick things off, we’ve rounded up 5 Back-To-School tips to keep your kids – and their teeth – happy and healthy.
Get the Right Gear
As you find yourself combing through school supplies at Target picking up notebooks and pens, make sure to stop by the dental care aisle. The start of the school year is an ideal time to update your child’s dental tools, plus, it serves as an easy time to remember moving forward when their toothbrush need replacing – a recommended every 3 months or after sickness. Come Halloween, it’ll be on to the next toothbrush, just in time for all that candy. Additionally, if your child is an athlete, back-to-school is a great time to make sure they have a properly sized and fitted mouth guard to avoid any injuries while they take on their sport.
Multi-tasking is Key
If you take the time to do your child’s hair, help them tie their shoes or something similar – use that time for them to brush their teeth! Not only does it give them some independence in their morning routine, it helps you stay on top of the morning and tackle all the other things that need to happen for everyone to get out the door on time.
Brush BEFORE breakfast
While this might sound a bit strange, or perhaps you’re thinking of the specific taste of OJ after minty-toothpaste, it betters the chances your child will brush before they hit the bus stop. Families are so busy in the mornings with parents juggling all the things, if you wait to have your child brush after bagels, they might miss it altogether. Before breakfast might be different, but, it’s better than not brushing at all.
Pack Teeth-Happy Lunches
Back-to-school means packing lunches and one of the best ways to keep your children’s teeth healthy starts with their diet. For drinks – opt for water. With no dyes or sugar, water won’t stain or weaken their teeth. Plus, in this Arizona heat, anyone could use some more hydration. For bites, apples, celery and carrots are fresh, yummy and help scrub away any plaque. Paired with milk, cheese and yogurt to get in their needed vitamin D, a well-rounded lunch or snack can also help strengthen their teeth!
Call Your Doc
The best way to keep up with your child’s dental health and hygiene is to make back-to-school a time of scheduling check-ups with your family dentist. Prioritizing their dental health is the only way to prevent problems or catch them early.