Lego flossing, manila paper brushing, and Eat This, Not That. These are some great dental activities that teach dental care tips to elementary students.
Why Dental Activities for Elementary Children?
Children face dental hygiene challenges either because they lack dental care knowledge or because they simply do not bother. Many children, for example, are excited about brushing their teeth as toddlers but lose interest in the activity when they become toddlers and preschoolers. According to CATCH, the Child Oral Health Advocacy Organization, poor oral health makes kids 3 times more likely to miss school and 2 times more likely to perform poorly in school. Fun and enjoyable dental hygiene activities are one of the easiest ways to encourage your children to brush their teeth and teach them dental hygiene. Here are fun activities to teach oral hygiene to children, whether you are a parent or a teacher.
Lego Flossing
Little children are not good with hand coordination, and they do not seem to get flossing right. Lego flossing helps children understand what flossing is and also how to do it. You need several Lego bricks and play dough for this activity. Let the Lego bricks be teeth and the dough be the debris. Stick the dough between the Lego bricks just like plaque and tartar accumulate on teeth. Role-play using yarn to remove the plaque from the teeth, just like a dentist uses dental floss to remove plaque from teeth.
Paper Brushing Role Play
This activity is designed to teach your elementary students how to effectively brush their teeth. Simply cut out teeth shapes on colored manila paper. Then, use white chalk or crayon to show your students how to properly brush their teeth. Demonstrate the recommended 45-degree angle of holding the brush.
Eat This, Not That
This activity is meant to teach elementary students about healthy foods. You simply need to find and cut out pictures of different foods from newspapers and magazines. Then, guide your students on selecting foods that are healthy for teeth and those that are not.
Closing Remarks
Teaching dental care to elementary students through fun activities is very effective. Since children learn well through play, they easily apply the dental care tips that they learn.
Dental Blog | Sunnyside Dentistry | Clackamas, OR dentist Dick Hikade, DDS at Sunnyside Dentistry has created this informative blog to help educate the community about dental concerns. Sunnyside Dentistry, 14210 SE Sunnyside Rd, Suite 200, Clackamas, OR 97015, (503) 451-5104, sunnysidedentistry.com, 10/14/2024, Page Keywords: dentist Clackamas OR,
Lego flossing, manila paper brushing, and Eat This, Not That. These are some great dental activities that teach dental care tips to elementary students.