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How The Tooth Fairy Can Help Teach Kids To Care For Adult Teeth!

How The Tooth Fairy Can Help Teach Kids To Care For Adult Teeth!

Losing a tooth is a rite of passage for children worldwide, and in many western cultures, it’s marked by a very special visit from a magical, nocturnal guest, affectionately known as the Tooth Fairy. While the Tooth Fairy most commonly exchanges the lost tooth for money, she can also play an important role in encouraging good oral hygiene for years to come. Words of encouragement from the one and only! While most children are excited at the prospect of losing a tooth, for others, the experience can be a bit scary. They may be nervous about feeling pain, feel insecure about what they will look like with a missing tooth, or feel queasy at the thought of seeing any blood. So, when the big day does come, it’s a cause for celebration. Not only is it important for parents to be supportive, but it’s also an opportunity for the Tooth Fairy herself to share some encouraging words of wisdom. By leaving a customised note in her own unique hand-writing (or perhaps on special paper sprinkled with fairy dust), the Tooth Fairy can offer praise to the child for taking such good care of their teeth and offer tips for good dental care routines that will carry them into adulthood. Helpful hints for a bright future By incorporating personalised notes each time your child loses a tooth, the Tooth Fairy can play a role in dental education by reinforcing the importance of brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily and limiting sweets. These special letters can also stress the importance of lifelong care for their new adult tooth that will soon appear. Additionally, parents can use the Tooth Fairy as an incentive for encouraging their children to keep their teeth shiny and healthy. After all, the Tooth Fairy loves adding beautiful teeth to her collection! Tooth Fairy tips for extra special situations In a perfect world, all of your child’s baby teeth would fall out naturally and with ease. However, it’s possible for a baby tooth to be lost prematurely due to accident or injury, or it may fall out without your child even realizing it. Other times, a tooth may need to be removed with a dentist’s help for a number of reasons. In these special cases, children will need a little extra TLC from both their parents and the Tooth Fairy. Praise for their bravery, reassurance that the Tooth Fairy is sure to still visit, and perhaps a little extra reward to compensate for the unusual circumstances can go a long way towards easing any fears before the next little tooth starts to wiggle. Establish healthy habits for life With a little help from the Tooth Fairy,...

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Our Best Tips For Instilling Great Dental Habits In Kids With Sensory Issues

Our Best Tips For Instilling Great Dental Habits In Kids With Sensory Issues

For many people, oral health care is something they take for granted by regularly flossing, brushing and seeing their dentist for regular check-ups. However, for children with sensory issues, oral care (including visits to the dentist) can be quite challenging.  People with sensory issues often hate the taste of toothpaste, dislike the feeling of a toothbrush against their teeth, have a heightened sense of having their face and mouth touched, and have extra sensitivity to bright lights, smells and sounds associated with dental check-ups. However, by teaming with the right dentist, oral care can be smooth sailing for both the child and their parents. With the right tools, brushing teeth can be a breeze While some people love the sensation of brushing their teeth and having that sparkling clean feeling, people with sensory issues can find it very unpleasant. Thankfully, your dentist can recommend specialised products that don’t overload the senses such as NeutraFluor’s fortified, flavourless toothpaste, and softer manual and electric toothbrushes that reduce the sensation of the toothbrush moving across your teeth. Oral hygiene – it can be fun and games To make bed-time brushing more enticing, try purchasing a 2-minute timer and challenge your child to brush their teeth (or let you brush their teeth) for the whole two minutes. The timer can also be used as a distraction for the child – whether they fixate on the countdown or hold it in their hands to fidget with during the brushing process. Using a product like Plaque Disclose will make plaque on teeth visible so that children can actually see the problem areas and understand the importance of brushing. By aiming to reduce the amount of plaque that shows up the next time the product is used, your child may be motivated by seeing visible results of their hard work. Choose the right dentist to help manage sensory concerns Dentists deal with nervous patients on a daily basis, however, working with someone who has a negative reaction to the typical sensations experienced during a dental visit is a whole other challenge. Thankfully, an experienced, gentle dentist can use special tricks and tools to make the appointment a lot more pleasant in these cases. Commonly used strategies include: Have the patient bring in something to hold/ fidget with in their hand to use as a distraction during the appointment Offer noise cancelling headphones so they aren’t agitated by the sounds Communicate each step during the appointment and give the patient advance notice before touching their face or mouth Have the patient bring in very dark sunglasses to help reduce sensitivity to the lights above If the patient is not familiar with electric toothbrushes, suggest that they use...

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