Heart Health: Don't Neglect Dental Care

During the school year, kids tend to fall into a normal routine since they need to be somewhere at a certain time every morning. When summer and all of its freedom rolls around, that structure tends to fall by the wayside. Don't let the fun of summer get in the way of your child's oral hygiene habits. Follow these tips to keep brushing and flossing in the game all season.

Make brushing teeth right after a scheduled breakfast a habit.

When your kids wake of slowly, lounge around on the couch for a while, play a game or two, and then eat breakfast, the day gets off to a lazy, unstructured start. By feeding your kids breakfast as soon as they wake, you set the mood for structure. Then, all that's left is to teach your kids that meals are always immediately followed with teeth brushing. Get them into the habit of heading straight to the bathroom to brush their teeth after a meal -- don't let them play until they've done so.

Keep track of teeth brushing on a sticker chart.

Buy a piece of poster board, and divide it into squares – two for each day of summer. Each time your child brushes their teeth (morning or evening), let them put a sticker in a square. Tell your child you'll give them a small prize if they have less than five missing stickers at the end of the summer. This prize can be anything from a new toy to a trip to a local amusement park – anything you think will motivate your child to pay attention to teeth brushing.

Schedule a dentist visit for the middle of the summer.

Summer is a good time to see the dentist for a checkup. Not only will it be easier to schedule because you don't have to work around a school schedule, but having that dentist appointment on the horizon will keep your kids motivated to care for their teeth in the weeks leading up to the appointment. Make sure you emphasize to your kids how proud the dentist will be if they show up with clean, well cared for teeth. Dentists and dental hygienists often stress the importance of oral hygiene at kids' dental appointments at a place like Yap Adwen P DDS - Family Dentistry, and this will motivate them to take care of their teeth through the second half of summer.

It can be hard to keep up with good oral hygiene when the routine becomes less rigid in the summer. With the tips above, however, you can ensure brushing and flossing remain a part of your kids' days.