We all know that the holidays are filled with treats. We make delicious goodies for ourselves, our neighbors bring over their best family recipes, and Santa brings way more candy than he needs to. While all of this extra sugar can have a toll on our weight, it can also have a negative impact on our teeth. As adults we are responsible enough to take care of our own teeth, but with all of the excitement that comes with the holidays, children are another story. Here are a few helpful tips to keep your kids’ teeth healthy for the holidays.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
If you find yourself having the same daily argument with your child about brushing their teeth, don’t be afraid to kindly remind them that Christmas is coming soon and that Santa can see and hear all that they’re doing. That will get them running to the bathroom to clean their teeth faster than anything else. If your family does the Elf on the Shelf, incorporate flossing and brushing teeth into one of your elf’s nightly escapades. This will bring an element of fun to oral hygiene at a time of year when all your child really wants to be doing is eating sweets.
Stocking Stuffer
While the thought of getting a toothbrush as a stocking stuffer might sound as lame as getting socks or underwear, when you get your child a toothbrush with their favorite character on it with matching toothpaste, you can guarantee they’ll be excited. Your kids have already accepted the fact that they need to brush their teeth every day, but with a toothbrush and toothpaste that they’re excited about, you won’t have to argue with them about brushing their teeth.
Sing a Jingle
All parents struggle with getting their children to adequately clean their teeth. By the time you finally win the argument of getting your child to go brush their teeth, the last thing you want to do is have another fight about how well they were cleaned. A simple holiday trick to this problem is to accompany them to the bathroom and pick your favorite Christmas song. Explain to your child that they have to keep brushing their teeth until the song is over. This will make the time spent brushing go by fast and you’ll both have fun doing it.
New Year’s Resolutions
Start your year out by taking your whole family in for their dental cleaning. This will let you know where you stand with each of your children’s teeth. Once you’ve had your appointment you can sit down as a family and make some goals as to how you can make your smiles healthier. Set up a chart and after a few weeks of perfect flossing and brushing, reward your children with some kind of fun treat. Continue doing this for a couple months until these healthy habits become second nature to them.
The holidays don’t have to be a time for poor dental hygiene, all it takes is a couple little tricks to keep your children’s smiles healthy while still having fun.