Every parent wants to set their child up for success as they start a new school year. You spend time at the end of summer picking out all of their school supplies, shopping for new clothes, and hoping that the new school year goes smoothly. Oral health is another important concern. We’ll cover some sobering evidence of the relation between oral health and school success a bit later, but here are some quick oral health tips for parents wanting to start the school year off right.
Back-to-school tips for parents:
- Regular checkups are important
- Get a checkup and cleaning during the summer
- Pack tooth-healthy foods for lunch
- Send a dental kit in your child’s lunchbox
- Plan out school-year dental routines now
The Importance of Preventive Dental Care
A research article published in the Journal of Pediatrics notes, “Poor oral health was consistently related to worse academic performance across age, sex, household income, and health insurance type subgroups.” The article authors also note that, despite being mostly preventable, oral health issues are the leading cause of chronic conditions among children.
This paper provides a lot of solid research on this point, also pointing out that US data suggests that children with poor oral health are showing worsening academic performance over time. Poor oral health among children is a huge issue, but it’s also a preventable one. So let’s talk about some tips for parents looking to keep their children’s smiles healthy during the school year.
Regular Checkups and Cleanings in Apple Valley are the Foundation
The earlier you start taking your child to the dentist and getting them used to checkups and cleanings, the more solid their foundation for lifelong oral health. Early positive experiences at the dentist set the tone for the rest of a child’s life. They are also helpful for catching problems early, before any dental issues become more serious and costly.
For example, early problems with baby teeth can cause long-term consequences for your child, including tooth misalignment, that may need orthodontic interventions.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist by age seven. Many orthodontic treatments are easier and less costly before a child has their permanent teeth.
Getting your child a checkup or cleaning during the summer leaves more time for any follow-up treatment and involves less of a chance of disrupting school time with dental appointments. And of course, if your child does have an oral health issue, the time to catch it is during the summer, so that by the time school starts, they are ready to learn without the distraction of tooth pain.
Pack a Tooth-Healthy Lunch
For many kids, an ideal school lunch likely involves pizza, chips, candy, and a sugary drink. While this might be okay occasionally, for the most part, an oral health-friendly lunch should involve fresh fruit, crunchy veggies, cheese, nuts, lean protein, and whole grains. And lots of water to stay hydrated and for rinsing food away from their teeth.
Your kids might enjoy helping you meal-plan for their school lunches, and let them get involved with bagging carrots, packing up fruit, and making whole-grain sandwiches with healthy protein.
Sticky, sugary, and carb-heavy foods adhere to teeth and feed bad bacteria in the mouth, raising the chances of cavities and other oral health issues. You can also have their dentist talk to them about healthy foods during their back-to-school cleaning.
Send Your Child to School With a Dental Kit
Depending on your child’s age and ability level, you might consider creating a small dental kit that can easily fit in a lunchbox or backpack. You can let them pick out a fun pouch to hold the items, and add a small toothbrush, travel-sized toothpaste, floss picks, extra rubber bands for kids with braces, a small bottle of child-safe mouthwash, and a water bottle to rinse their mouths. Disposable toothbrushes that come loaded with toothpaste might work better for your child.
You might even include the emergency contact number for your child’s dentist. If they’re playing contact sports, don’t forget to get their custom mouthguard fitted before school starts.
Plan Out School-Year Dental Routines Now
Once school starts, and your children are busy with homework, sports, theater, clubs, and getting together with friends, it might be harder to get them to follow a consistent dental routine every single day. The time to get started is during the summer.
Get your kids involved with the planning so they feel ownership over their routine. For example, morning brushing and flossing might be followed by a bathroom dance party or their choice of a superhero sticker.
Maybe keep a chart in the bathroom with fun pictures that they can check off every day, as they complete each portion of their routine. At night, after their routine is done, you could let them pick out a book to read or a quiet game to play before bed. You know your children best. Be as creative and collaborative as you can with this!
Consider Scheduling Your Back-to-School Dental Visit Soon
If you are looking for a pediatric dentist or orthodontist in Apple Valley, MN, Carousel Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics are your kid-friendly experts! Dr. Katie Nordeen and Dr. Kyle Nordeen are board-certified pediatric specialists with years of experience and training in children’s dentistry and orthodontics. They also have three children and know first-hand how important it is to get children used to visiting the dentist.
Their practice offers pediatric:
- Dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Emergency dental care
- Special health care needs dentistry
- Behavioral guidance
- Sedation dentistry
- Preventive dentistry
They serve children of all ages, including those with complex medical histories or special behavioral needs. Dr. Katie and Dr. Kyle are ready to meet your child’s needs with compassion and empathy.
If you’d like to schedule a back-to-school cleaning, give us a call at (952) 715-6177. We’re ready to answer any questions and get to know you and your children!