Using The Tooth Fairy As Tool To Promote Dental Health
Posted on: 13 March 2015
When kids start losing their baby teeth, a visit from the tooth fairy makes the whole experience less traumatic, and perhaps even exciting. A little money or a prize under the pillow can make a child forget all about the fear and pain sometimes associated with losing a tooth. The tooth fairy is an excellent tool for helping kids make it through the tooth loss process unscathed, but what if she could do even more? What if the tooth fairy could set the stage for good dental care habits throughout your child's life?
Dentist-Approved Gifts From the Tooth Fairy
Many Family Dental clinics give children prizes, such as a new toothbrush or a sample of cool flavored toothpaste, after a visit. Does your child rush home from the dentist excited to try out these new tooth care items? Many do. By having the tooth fairy deliver similar prizes, you keep your child interested in oral hygiene for more than just the day or two after each dental visit.
Some cool prizes the tooth fairy could leave include:
- A fun, new flavored toothpaste, such as bubble gum or cinnamon
- Dental flossers (these plastic picks are easier for kids to use than dental floss)
- Kid-friendly fluoride mouthwash
- Snazzy new toothbrushes with features such as lights and sound buttons
Tips for Leaving the Prizes
Obviously, it's harder to squeeze a bottle or mouthwash under your child's pillow than to ease a dollar bill under there as you tuck him or her into bed. For this reason, it's helpful to establish a different delivery method for these dentist-approved tooth fairy prizes. Perhaps the tooth fairy could leave them in gift bags next to your child's bed. Maybe she would rather leave them in the bathroom the morning after your child loses a tooth, complete with special notes about how to use them. Think over these options and decide which is simplest to utilize in your home .
If you decide to leave tooth-friendly gifts from the tooth fairy, you probably don't want to do away with the tradition of leaving cash, either. Your child is likely to discuss tooth fairy visits with friends from school and may be disappointed if they get money and he or she doesn't. A good method is to keep leaving a dollar or two under your child's pillow, and include the tooth care prizes as a little something extra.
Especially if your child struggles with maintaining an oral hygiene routine, having the tooth fairy leave dental care prizes is great motivation. Show your child that the tooth fairy cares about the health of his or her teeth, and you'll find that your child starts caring more, too.
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