As a parent, it’s up to you to teach and help your kids adopt habits and daily routines as part of a healthy lifestyle. One such habit is teaching your kids the importance of taking care of their teeth: brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist every six months.
For many parents, this is an ongoing challenge. We often get questions about how to approach the topic of dentistry with kids in a positive way. Our answer includes helpful tips and/or insight and where applicable, book recommendations for a specific topic to help reinforce and help encourage your child to attain optimal dental health — no cavities and strong teeth.
Children’s books can help start the conversation about dental care at home and what to expect when going to the dentist. You may be able to find these books at your local library. These book recommendations include the following topics:
- Introducing your child to develop or to stress the importance of a daily dental care routine to prevent tooth decay
- Helping to prepare your child for what to expect at their first dental visit
- Reinforce recommendations discussed at your child’s recent dental visit
- To teach your child what happens when you don’t take proper care for their teeth
- Helping your child learn that losing a baby tooth is part of growing up and permanent ones will grow in
Here is Coventry Dental Care’s list of recommended books for teaching your children about the dentist:
1. Curious George Visits the Dentist by Margret & H. A. Rey’s – An engaging story that will teach kids that there is nothing scary about going to the dentist or a loose tooth.
2. Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie Mcguire – An interactive, pop-up book that teaches your child the importance of brushing and flossing two times a day.
3. The Tooth Who Took Himself for Granted by Leslie Mcguire – An insightful story about a tooth who neglected to take care of his teeth. He thought that he was so strong and nothing bad would happen to him until he had to be rushed to the dentist for a dental cavity. He learns the importance of why it’s important to brush, floss, and see your dentist every six months.
4. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain – A classic dental office classic book about a family of bears who visits the dentist to have their teeth checked and cleaned.
5. Throw Your Tooth on the Roof by Selby Beeler – Take a trip around the world to learn about what international children do when they lose a tooth. Not everyone places their tooth under their pillow for the tooth fairy.
6. The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss – A lighthearted book that teaches kids all the things that teeth can do and how to take care of them so they last for a lifetime.
7. Just Going the Dentist by Mercer Mayer – A story about a little critter who goes to the dentist for a dental check up and finds out that going to the dentist isn’t so bad.
8. The Night Before the Tooth Fairy by Natasha Wing – A tale of a little boy’s stubborn tooth that just won’t come out! He hopes it will fall out soon because he can’t wait to meet the tooth fairy.
9. Dentist Trip by Scholastic – Peppa and George have dentist appointments. George is a bit nervous. Peppa show George
how fun and easy going to the dentist really is.
10. The Tooth Fairy by Scholastic – Peppa Pig just lost her first tooth! She tucks it under her pillow and wonders if the tooth fairy will pay her a special visit.
We have some of these books in our waiting room and welcome you to come take a look. To book your child’s dental visit, contact us or call 519-305-9100 today.