Ways to Encourage Great Oral Hygiene in Kids

The tragic death of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from Prince Georges county, Maryland, from a tooth abcess highlights the importance of good oral hygiene. If we can promote great oral hygiene in our children we can help decrease, or even prevent numerous agonizing trips to the dentist. Here are five great items that can help kids fight to get into the bathroom and do their part to keep their teeth pearly white.

1. Musical Toothbrushes. Hasbro has come up with a musical toothbrush that plays pop music for two minutes to encourage children to keep brushing for the optimal time recommended by the American Dental Association. The better they brush, the better the music sounds. You can't beat that for incentive! http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2006-10-11-music-brush_x.htm

2. Kai Dental Floss Holder. How about a cute piranha that holds your dental floss for you? Kids will love to break off the floss on the teeth of the piranha after pulling it out if it's belly. http://www.wrapables.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=C52163&cate3=020204

3. Colgate LEGO Toothbrush. This is a cute brush with a lego toy in its base. The toothbrush handle is shaped like a rocket and the LEGO stores in it. The LEGO toy attaches to other LEGO toys. http://www.dentist.net/colgate-lego-toothbrush.asp

4. Listerine Agent Cool Blue. Ooohh! Agent Cool Blue sounds so 007! It is actually a great way to get children to clean their teeth. The liquid stains the plaque in a child's mouth blue and helps them highlight the spots they might have missed. It promotes proper toothbrushing and may just have your child running to the bathroom to brush their teeth for any reason at all. Flavors come in glacier mint and bubble blast. http://www.agentcoolblue.com/

5. Flavored toothpaste. What child doesn't like to brush their teeth with their favorite toothpaste. There are also sparkling toothpastes that have that fun burst of flavor once they get into the mouth. Of course an adult must be present to keep an eye on their use. Too much flouride can be fatal for children so make sure you use no more than a pea-sized amount on the toothbrush. Crest, Colgate, and other oral hygiene product producers are sure to have bubblegum, mint, cherry, and other great flavors for you.

Children learn what they are taught. Teach them to choose carrots, celery, and other crunchy fruits and vegetables over junk food and candy. Encourage them to drink water for dinner instead of sodas. Drinking soda is the same as giving your teeth a regular acid bath and can rapidly lead your children down the path to painful cavities. Brushing twice a day is important. Brush for a minimum of two minutes and rinse well with water (a good estimate would be to brush each surface ten times). If they eat candy, have them rinse with water to wash as much of the sugar off their teeth as possible. They should eat less soft foods if they will be unable to brush right away ,or soon after the meal. Breads and cakes tend to stick to your teeth and are a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. Again, rinsing with water will help dislodge much of the food from around their teeth and help keep harmful bacteria at bay. Try to schedule a visit with a dentist at least once every six months to catch any potential problems early, and fix them right away. Oral hygiene is important for your overall health, so teach your children how to keep their mouths in great health!