Smile! February is Dental Health Month!

Did you know there is a month dedicated to your pearly whites?!  Yep, there is, and it's Feburary!  Take a bit of time this coming month to talk about the fascinating world of teeth with your child :)  HA!  you say, fascinating?!?  Well, yes, fascinating.  Teeth are very important, not only for eating, but for showing others how you're growing up, for learning responsibility (brush at least twice every day!), for eating and talking, and we cannot forget... for smiling!  What diverse little tools they are!

If you are wondering what exactly you should to do celebrate your charming chompers, here are a few ideas:

READ A BOOK!   Shocking, coming from a librarian, eh?   There are actually quite a few books about teeth for all ages.  Here are some suggestions:

Sweet Tooth by Margie Palatini

• Stewart's loud, obnoxious sweet tooth constantly gets him into trouble, until Stewart uses a healthy diet to take control of the situation.

No Biting Louise by Margie Palatini

• At the urging of her family, Louise, a young alligator, tries hard to kick her biting habit.

Wibble Wobble by Miriam Moss

• William is the only one is his class who doesn't have a loose tooth story, until finally he loses his first tooth, but when he goes to get it from the teacher, it's not there.

Baby Teeth Fall Out, Big Teeth Grow! by Maggie Testa

• (Yo Gabba Gabba!) Muno feels a tooth wiggle as he bites an apple, and when his tooth falls out the tooth fairy visits.

You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt

• The tooth fairy explains how she does her job.

Madlenka by Peter Sis

• Madlenka, whose New York City neighbors include the French baker, the Indian news vendor, the Italian ice-cream man, the South American grocer, and the Chinese shopkeeper, goes around the block to show her friends her loose tooth and finds that it is like taking a trip around the world.

Beavers and Other Animals With Amazing Teeth by Susan Labella

• Find out what beavers and other animals do with their teeth.

Teeth Are Not For Biting by Elizabeth Verdick

• Simple words and colorful illustrations help toddlers to find better ways to cope with unhappy feelings or mouth pain than by biting.

Brush, Brush, Brush a Rookie Board Book

• An illustrated board book that encourages readers to engage in proper dental hygiene by brushing their teeth in the appropriate manner.

Taking Care of my Teeth by Terri Degezelle

• Colorful pictures introduce the correct way to take care of teeth and keep them healthy.

You also might want to liven up the month with a few crafts related to teeth, or possibly a trip to the dentist (maybe as simply an introductory visit), a special trip to the store to buy a new toothbrush, or visit a local museum that has a dental display (those in the Lansing area - go to Impression 5 and get your picture taken in the big mouth!!!).  You don't have to focus just on human teeth... checking out a dinosaur exhibit and looking at those huge teeth can be fun too!  Lastly, count everyone's teeth in the family, including pets, and make a chart (just be sure to wash your hands before and after if you do that activity)! 

Possible craft ideas are:  use an old tooth brush to paint a picture; make a tooth pillow to use for "tooth fairy" collection; those plastic daily pill containers make a great 'teeth keeper' - you could buy one and decorate it; make a smile collage with pictures cut from magazines or old photos.  For more great ideas, check out these web pages:

DLTK Crafts - Dental Health Month
Smile Michigan's website
First School's February Activities Page

And remember, Keep Smiling!!!