According to Money magazine, the Tooth Fairy is getting a little cheap. An annual survey found that the average payout per baby tooth has decreased by 11 percent ($4.66 to $4.13). Maybe the Tooth Fairy’s “assistants” are short on cash, or have finally drawn the line at stealing from their kids’ piggy banks. Either way, children aren’t going to stop losing baby teeth – but it’s the job of adults to make sure this inevitability doesn’t turn into preventable cavities or problem teeth. With support from the family dentistry team at Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Johns Creek, your kids will learn to love the idea of a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums, even if the Tooth Fairy is pinching pennies.
Family & Cosmetic Dental Care’s Tooth Fairy Visits KinderCare
Bluegrass Valley KinderCare Alpharetta was honored by its annual visit from the Tooth Fairy this week. Roxy, beloved dental hygienist at Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Johns Creek, took the time to talk with the children about teeth, oral hygiene, and those pesky things called sugar bugs.
Roxy read the book Sugar Bugs by Erika Weisz, which tells the story of a boy whose mouth was taken over by a sugar bug family who loved all the sweets he ate. Most kids want nothing to do with bugs, especially not if they’re taking root in their mouth. The cover art alone for this book may be enough to encourage kids to brush, though the story also identifies important rules for taking care of your teeth. It also explains how cool dental instruments are because, let’s face it, without explanation those things can be pretty terrifying to a kid.
Take the Tooth Fairy’s Message and Run with It
The best way to explain an important matter like oral hygiene where children are concerned is honestly and simply – and if you must resort to using a gross object to get their attention or make a point, then sometimes that’s just what you have to do.
Here are three tips to reinforce with your young child about their teeth, brushing and flossing, and visits to the dentist:
- You only get one set of teeth. Kids may think that since they have a “spare” set of grown-up teeth, who cares if you miss a brushing session or six on your baby teeth? Get into good habits with brushing and flossing now and visiting the dentist regularly to keep your teeth healthy forever.
- The dentist is your friend. Set your kids up for success at the dentist. Focus on the positives and avoid language like “scared” or “nervous.” Let your child know that the dentist is kind, gentle, and ready to help them keep sugar bugs away for good. We’ll take it from there.
- Healthy teeth keep your whole body healthy. Remind kids that everything that goes into their mouth goes into their body too. If the foods they eat are sugary and it fills their mouth with sugar bugs, the rest of their system won’t fare so well either. Eat well, brush your teeth, and you’ll help yourself stay healthy!
Dr. Patel’s Johns Creek family dentistry practice makes it easy to expose your children to good oral health from an early age. Bring them along for your dental check-up and cleaning when they’re small, get them used to the office and what happens in the dental chair and with x-rays. And, when it’s time, make your kids’ dental visits a priority. Contact us today to schedule your cleaning, and please let us know if it’s your child’s first visit – the Tooth Fairy is waiting!
