It's Really Only a Purple World

Keeping Your Child's Smile Healthy: Five Things I Do That You Can Do Too!

It is never too early to start taking an active role in your child's dental health.  And no one seems to appreciate this fact more these days then the folks at Trident!  They have partnered with Smiles Across America to provide dental care and education to over 250,000 underprivileged children annually!  From September 13 to September 19th they are donating five cents for every pack of Trident Gum purchased during this time period, with a cap of 600,000 possible to be donated!  That's a whole lot of teeth that can be saved, isn't it?

How important is good oral health to the life of a child?  Well did you know that tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in America, affecting 50 percent of first graders and 80 percent of 17-year-olds? Or that untreated tooth decay and disease can affect a child’s health, well-being, growth, and achievement?  Children with serious oral health problems can have difficulty eating and sleeping, or concentrating in school.  Over 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related problems.

That's why this school based program is so vital to the communities that they serve.

There are many things you can do in your own home to encourage good oral health in your own children.  Take a look at some of the ideas that are practiced in my home with Sarah:

1 - Having a fun and cool toothbrush is always an effective tool to get kids to brush more.  These days they have toothbrushes that spin, light up, play music, and change colors.   Let your child take an active role in choosing the toothbrush that will make brushing fun!

2 - I introduced Sarah to dental floss at an early age to keep not only her teeth but her gums healthy as well.  There are tons of options and flavors to make this a more pleasant experience.

3 - Encouraging the use of sugar-free gums like Trident is always an easy way to keep teeth healthy.           Check out this link to learn why Trident is an effective tool against tooth decay!

4 - Sarah always likes the fact that  that she has her own toothpaste and gets to pick out the flavors that she enjoys.  I have found that the more individualized the experience, the more your children take ownership of their own dental health.

5 - If regular brushing becomes lax, we like to use charts that we paste in the bathroom next to the mirror to remind us that we need to brush every day.

Check out this You Tube Video that highlights how kids use Trident Gum:



Trident also has a great Facebook page where you can get lots of information and coupons.

You can also find out all about the Chew For Smiles program!

There is even a sweepstakes where you can win lots of cool prizes!

Would love to hear your thoughts!  Please share!

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.