Summer has flown by once again! Dr. Villasenor and the team at Rise and Shine Pediatric Dentistry have you covered with tips for starting the school year off with healthy smiles! Back to school season brings the perfect opportunity to re-establish healthy routines, and oral hygiene is part of that!
Routines are cruicial
Make sure to brush before heading out to school in the morning. For young children, this may mean brushing after breakfast with a parent’s help at the kitchen table. We suggest keeping a toothbrush in the kitchen! In the evening, it’s important to make time for brushing and flossing after dinner. This is especially important even in the evenings with sports and activities. While it’s important for school aged children to practice these routines on their own, parents should still help young children who are still learning to tie their shoes or cut food, older children with orthodontic appliances, or children who are still working to grow their manual dexterity or for whom Dr. Villasenor has recommended extra support.
Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, spit the excess if your child knows how to spit, but don’t rinse with water. Floss after so that a small amount of toothpaste makes its way between teeth into the same areas at highest risk for cavities.
Food and drink choices matter
Lunch time at school can have a big impact on your children’s oral health. Dr. Villasenor recommends drinking water or plain milk at lunch. Avoid high sugar alternatives such as chocolate milk, juice, soda, or even bubbly water since this is still hard on tooth enamel. Children should always drink and swish with plain water after lunch to remove food debris or milk from their teeth. For lunches, make sure to include foods that don’t get stuck in teeth. Our favorites are apple slices, carrot chips, or cheese.
Snack time is the biggest impact on cavity risk, as some foods can get stuck in teeth for hours. This greatly increases cavity risk. Dr. Villasenor likes to send her kids to school with fresh fruit, beef sticks, smoked salmon, string cheese, or apple slices for snacks. She recommends avoiding crackers such as goldfish or cheddar bunnies, fruit snacks, or dried fruit. These are sticky sugar sources that quickly cause cavities.
Protect the mouth during sports
If your child will participate in after school contact sports, Dr. Villasenor recommends wearing a mouthguard to protect their teeth. For growing children, a boil and bite mouthguard can be a good option since their smile changes often with teeth falling out and new ones erupting. Make sure to drink plenty of water during activities and also after any other non-water drinks that often come with activities.
Remember to schedule your child’s routine preventive dental visit with Dr. Villasenor if they are due so that they can start the school year with a healthy smile! Call our office at 303-758-0223 to request an appointment.
