Using the Tooth Fairy to Make Dental Care Fun
The Tooth Fairy Makes Dental Care Fun!
Encouraging good oral health at a young age is important to help your child avoid cavities, tooth loss, and gum disease. If getting your child to brush her teeth is a nightly battle, make dental care more fun with a little help from the tooth fairy. The following tips work well for most young children through about elementary school age.
Introduce the Tooth Fairy Early
While most children don’t start losing teeth until about kindergarten, it’s a good idea to promote good oral hygiene as early as possible. Telling your child about the tooth fairy’s love for shiny, clean baby teeth makes brushing and flossing more exciting. After all, the tooth fairy is more likely to leave a nicer gift behind in exchange for teeth that have been well taken care of. Reminding your child of this fact can be a powerful motivator when she complains about having to brush her teeth.
Ask the Tooth Fairy to Leave Small Presents
To keep the motivation alive, it’s important to follow through when your child starts losing baby teeth. This means you shouldn’t promise more than the tooth fairy will actually deliver, or your child might feel deceived.
The tooth fairy often leaves a little money, but that’s not the only possibility. If there’s a small toy your child has been eyeing at the store, the tooth fairy might consider leaving that in exchange for an extra clean baby tooth. It’s also a good idea for the tooth fairy to leave behind dental care products, such as a new toothbrush or toothpaste. When these gifts come from the tooth fairy, you child will be more excited to use them.
Install a Tooth Fairy App
Several apps are available for Smartphones and tablets that make it easy to bring the tooth fairy to life:
- The Tooth Fairy Timer app ensures your child is creating squeaky clean baby teeth for the tooth fairy by brushing for the recommended two minutes.
- The Magical World of the Real Tooth Fairies offers interactive stories that introduce your child to the tooth fairy and explain where she takes all those baby teeth she collects.
- Call Tooth Fairy Voicemail makes it look as though you’re calling and texting the tooth fairy to report on your child’s tooth brushing habits. You can even have your child report a wobbly tooth, request tooth collection after it falls out, and leave a voicemail thanking the tooth fairy for the wonderful gift she left behind.
Talk Up Dental Visits
Brushing and flossing at home is a vital part of ensuring the tooth fairy is happy with your child’s teeth, but regular dental visits are also important. However, some children are afraid of the dentist, and those fears can linger into adulthood. Prevent fears before they start by getting your child excited about dental visits. Tell them how bright and shiny their teeth will be after receiving extra care from the dentist.
Then, choose a qualified family dentist such as Evanson DDS to take good care of your child. We love having children in our Parker office! Our entire team is careful never to overstep boundaries if your child isn’t comfortable. We also offer anesthesia, laughing gas, and IV sedation to help children with dental anxiety receive the care they need. Our goal is to make the dentist office a safe, comfortable place for the whole family to be.
Call Dr. Evanson for a Dental Consultation
Your child’s first dental appointment should be around her first birthday or as soon as she gets her first tooth. Then, make regular dental visits a priority starting at two years old. Our team will help encourage the healthy brushing and flossing habits you want to instill in your child.
If you’re ready to find a Parker dentist that cares for patients of all ages—from babies with their first tooth to older adults with dentures—then call Dr. Evanson today at (720) 409-0008 or contact us online. We’re excited to meet you and your child at your first consultation!
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