Back To School Tips For Your Child's Teeth
When it's time for your kids to go back to school, you want to make sure you send them off knowing that their teeth have been well taken care of and that they will continue to be so throughout the school day. Here are some helpful tips you should follow when it's time for you to send your kids back to school:
Make sure your child is on a set dental-care schedule
Things can get a little bit crazy during the summer when the kids are out of school. This can lead to the kids fitting their tooth brushing in at different times of the night, eating more snacks than they may when school is in session, and other changes that cause a bit of disarray. Once school is around the corner, you want to start getting the kids back on schedule. They should know exactly when they are to brush their teeth, get back in the swing of going to bed on time, waking up on time, and brushing their teeth early in the morning. This way, you won't find that their teeth accidentally go un-brushed due to them not being used to the school schedule.
Send your child to school with a healthy snack and lunch
Some schools have both a snack period and a lunch period, where others simply have a lunch period. If your child will have a snack period, then you want to send them off with a snack that's healthy for their teeth. A few examples of good snacks include carrot sticks, apples, celery sticks, yogurt, or raisins. For lunch, you want your child to eat something that won't increase their chances of future dental problems. A sandwich, fruit, and string cheese are good lunch items you could send them off with. However, you don't want to make them something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because the jelly will stick to their teeth and lead to the development of plaque.
Have your child care for their teeth even though they are at school
Once your child is able to floss, send them to school with floss. If your child wears braces, they will need to have a dental care kit with them to brush after each meal. Also, have your child drink water or milk (not chocolate milk) with their lunch, instead of something like soda or juice which contains a good amount of sugar.
For more tips on keeping your child's teeth healthy during the school year, talk to family dentists like William U Britton DDS MAGD.