While sheltering in place, your children may be overwhelmed with boredom. This could encourage them to eat more snacks and drink sugary beverages. In anticipation of a normal way of life commencing after the COVID-19 crisis has subsided, it’s important to protect their teeth and gums. Thus, you need some simple yet effective methods that you can implement now. No worries – your family dentist in Dublin has you covered. Continue reading to learn how to make excellent oral health fun and productive for your entire family!
Turn Your Children into Scientists
It’s only natural for your children to crave sugary sweets, so you don’t have to spend all your time trying to resist their urges. Instead, this is a great time to introduce some healthier, yet satisfying, options. If your children are like most kids, then they are proficient with using a smartphone or computer. Have them research different alternative sweeteners so they can see for themselves why they are better for their oral and overall health.
To give them a head-start, here are some alternatives to introduce your kids to:
- Stevia
- Xylitol
- Erythritol
- Monk fruit
- Yacon syrup
Once your children have learned about the benefits of these options, you all can decide on which to try and then head to the grocery store to stock-up.
Use the Kitchen as a Laboratory
After gathering some healthier supplies, the entire family can experiment by baking with one of the alternative sweeteners. This is a fun way to utilize time, counteract any boredom and introduce healthier eating habits. It will also give you the peace-of-mind of knowing that your kids’ teeth and gums are better protected until you can visit your family dentist for a regular checkup and cleaning.
Turn Oral Hygiene Sessions into a Game
Are your children competitive? If so, you can easily create some fun games surrounding their toothbrushing and flossing. For example, you can hang a chart that tracks how often each of them performs oral hygiene. To encourage compliance, you can provide rewards for the winner, which can be something simple like a mystery gift bag of goodies. All kids love fun surprises, so this should be a hit!
Do It Together
Your kids love to immolate what you do, so performing your oral hygiene along with them can be exciting. If you’re like most parents, you’re usually cleaning your teeth in a hurry in anticipation of getting your busy day underway. Now that everyone has more time to spend with each other, there is an opportunity to savor these precious moments of life.
The COVID-19 virus has presented some unique challenges and hurdles for American society, but there is a silver lining in the cloud. It has provided millions of people with a chance to connect with their families. By implementing these suggestions in your household, you can also ensure that everyone enjoys the best in oral health!
About the Author
Dr. Eric Buck earned his dental degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. A husband and father, he understands how important family is. Thus, he encourages his patients to take fun and creative approaches to fortifying their oral health during the COVID-19 crisis. He is currently only providing emergency dental care, but soon he’ll once again be offering a full array of services at Distinctive Smiles. He can be reached for more information through his website.