Valentine’s Day is an incredibly fun day for kids. You get to pick out cool Valentine’s cards for your friends (complete with holographic stickers), decorate a fun Valentine’s baggie where your friends can drop off their own Valentines at your desk, and munch on candy throughout the day.
While your kids are showing their friends some love during the holiday, make sure they’re also showing their teeth some love, too! Your teeth do a lot for you, especially when it comes to chewing those Valentine’s Day snacks. Here are a few easy ways you can show your teeth some love this holiday.
1. Be kind to your teeth
It’s great if you’re brushing your teeth twice a day as recommended by the CDC. But it’s not so great if you’re being rough with your teeth while you’re brushing them. While it might seem like you’ll get rid of plaque and tartar if you really scrub at your teeth, you’re actually doing more harm than good.
Rough brushing can wear away at the protective coating of your teeth. This is called your enamel, which helps to keep your teeth safe from bacteria. If you have tartar build-up, scrubbing at your teeth won’t remove it. Instead, you’ll need to professional help of pediatric dentists to remove the tartar. That’s why it’s so important to visit your pediatric dentists at least once every six months. That said, make sure to gently brush your teeth in a circular motion to give them the proper care they need.
2. Sing to your teeth
Why not give your teeth a little serenade of their own this Valentine’s Day? One fun, upbeat song to sing to your teeth might be “Shiny Teeth and Me,” from The Fairly OddParents. Singing while you brush your teeth can help you make sure you’re brushing your teeth for the recommended amount of time. Pediatric dentists recommend gently brushing your teeth for at least two minutes. You can also put on a song that lasts exactly for two minutes so you can brush along with the music.
3. Eat some red fruits
Candy can be a lot of fun to eat during Valentine’s Day. While it’s okay to indulge here and there, consider giving your teeth a treat of their own with some red fruit to celebrate the holiday. Strawberries act as a natural teeth whitener because they contain the tooth-whitening enzyme malic acid. You can also show your teeth some love by eating an apple! Apples act as natural sponges, helping to scrub away food particles and bacteria off your teeth as you eat them. The skin of the apple even acts as a natural floss, helping you remove food particles from between your teeth.
4. Give your teeth a box of chocolates
Looking for an extra special treat to show your teeth you really care? Opt for dark chocolate this Valentine’s Day instead of the sour, gummy snacks. Gummies and milk chocolate both have high sugar content and they can cling to your teeth, putting your teeth at risk for cavities. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, can actually help your teeth. Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and it’s a good source of polyphenols, which are natural chemicals that reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth. That means snacking on dark chocolate this Valentine’s Day might just help you combat cavities, plaque, and tooth decay.
5. Crack open a bottle of water
Water is one of the best drink choices for your teeth. Not only does water help wash away food particles and sugars lingering on your teeth after you eat but it also naturally contains fluoride. Fluoride is a natural element that’s found in your bones and teeth. It’s also found in some foods and in water. According to one study by pediatric dentists, over 65% of parents drinking bottled water didn’t know the levels of fluoride it contained.
Water is also a great choice because it doesn’t hurt your teeth like some beverages can. Sparkling water, for instance, is really popular right now, but it increases the acidity in your mouth and puts your enamel at risk. Energy drinks are also more harmful to your teeth than sports drinks. Researchers found that regularly drinking energy drinks resulted in twice as much enamel loss compared to those who regularly drank sports drinks.
One of the best ways you can show your teeth some love this Valentine’s Day is by making sure you regularly visit your family dental clinic for routine check-ups to keep your teeth in great shape. Contact the pediatric dentists of Smilez Pediatric Dental Group today to make an appointment.
