Did you know that over 40% of children aged 2 to 11 have had cavities in their baby teeth? This surprising statistic from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is a reminder of just how important it is to teach children good oral hygiene habits. Fortunately, there is a range of new kid-friendly products that can help make brushing and flossing fun! February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, so now is the perfect time to learn about these 5 oral hygiene products that can get your kids excited about fighting cavities.
#1: Sparkle Fun Toothpaste
What is blue, sparkly, and tastes like bubblegum? Toothpaste made especially for kids! With its wild appearance and semi-sweet flavor, children’s toothpaste helps make brushing teeth less of a chore. While kids will eventually switch to regular toothpaste as they get older, sparkly children’s toothpaste can help them build strong oral hygiene habits while they are still young.
#2: Light-Up Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes for kids these days are a lot more than just a boring piece of plastic! Parents today can choose a toothbrush that lights up or even plays a song while their child brushes. Many feature children’s favorite characters from Disney movies or Star Wars. These products are often more than just looks, however. Some brushes come with automatic timers to help ensure children clean their teeth for a full two minutes.
#3: Dinosaur-Shaped Fun Flossers
Convincing young children to brush their teeth every day can be hard enough. Flossing? Even harder! Thankfully, a variety of manufacturers have created fun, disposable flossers that come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the most popular kid-friendly flossers are shaped like dinosaurs! In addition, most flossers designed for children swap out mint flavor for grape, mixed berry or other tropical flavors that kids are more likely to enjoy.
#4: Festive Fluoride
Compared to brushing or flossing, many young children find rinsing with mouthwash to be easy and fun! The level of fun can even be taken up a notch when the bottle of mouthwash has their favorite cartoon heroes on it. From Frozen to the Avengers, there are plenty of festive fluoride rinses on the supermarket and pharmacy shelves these days. Some even tint food particles so kids can see the evidence of icky bacteria when they spit into the sink. Mouthwashes designed for kids never contain alcohol but should still not be swallowed.
#5: Tasty Tablets
Many kids are visual learners, so the idea of fighting invisible bacteria can often be confusing. That’s why many children find chewing disclosing tablets to be super cool! This unique and interactive product shows kids the “enemy” in the fight against cavities by turning plaque a bright red color. The vegetable dye-based chewables are typically used after brushing and flossing and are perfectly safe.
With light-up toothbrushes, cartoon-themed mouthwash, and more fun oral hygiene products, it should be easy to maintain healthy smiles during Children’s Dental Health Month and all year round.
About the Practice
The talented and friendly team at Salt Run Family Dentistry provides quality oral care to patients of all ages. From preventive sealants for young children to dentures for senior citizens, their three accomplished dentists can do it all! If you are searching for a children’s dentist, visit the Salt Run Family Dentistry website or call 904-824-3540.