My daughter’s sweet tooth is well-developed (read: if it has sugar in it, she will eat it). While I admire her unwavering dedication to knowing what she likes, her pursuit of the sweet stuff can be a bit “challenging for Mommy”. (read: daily fights over why endless consumption of lollipops is a no-go). My son is the exact opposite; he rarely, if ever, eats dessert or candy. (I have a strong suspicion that he is not actually my child).
Despite my repetitive effort to sneak protein, fiber, and other good stuff into my daughter’s diet while sneaking out the treats, there is another challenge her sugar crush presents: keeping her teeth healthy.
All those sweets can take a quick toll on young teeth. OTCSafety is super about keeping us parents in the loop about important wellness issues, and with their promotion of February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, this is a great time to make sure you are properly caring for the little mouths in your home. Did you know that over 50% of children will have some tooth decay by age 5? Oral infection is the leading chronic disease in kids.
While I want my little gal to enjoy her treats in moderation (she is so excited about her Valentines candy from her party at preschool!), caring for her teeth is no joke!
How can I make sure I am doing a good job? Know the facts:
· Fluoride is an anti-cavity active ingredient available in over-the-counter (OTC) products that helps prevent tooth decay and cavities.
· Fluoride-containing products are typically not recommended for children under the age of 2.
· Children under the age of 6 should use a pea-sized amount of paste or gel to minimize swallowing.
· Children under the age of 6 should be supervised in order to develop good brushing and rinsing habits and to minimize product swallowing.
And the value of us setting a good example for our kids and teaching them how to brush properly cannot be overstated. For more information on proper oral care, check out this article.
With my kids, I try to make it seem fun (“Ooh, kids! We get to go to the dentist today!”). This won’t work as well as they get older, but for now? Dental care has somehow become cool.
My daughter’s preschool recently celebrated National Children’s Dental Health Month, having a dentist come in to chat and play games with the kids. I can’t tell you how excited my daughter was to come home and show me her toothpaste sticker!
And the toothbrush. AND THE TOOTHBRUSH.
It is orange.
We have discussed it for hours.
We have taken pictures with it.
We have called Grandpa and told him about it.
I’m thinking I may need to frame it when it has worn out.
The orange toothbrush has conveniently become the great love of my daughter’s 3 yr. old life. This makes brushing time a whole lot easier. But hey, even if you are lacking in the orange toothbrush department, you can figure this out. Let them pick out a fun toothbrush at the grocery store, put stickers on the toothpaste tube, sing a silly song whenever it’s time to brush…do whatever it takes, because it matters.
Just don’t bribe your kids with candy. My daughter would probably tackle them in an effort to steal it away anyway
****I am compensated as an OTCsafety blogging ambassador for this post, but my opinion are my own.****
Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.
Original article and pictures take www.themomoftheyear.net site
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