Good Oral Care

Get Your Kids Into The Act Of Good Oral Care (NAPSA)—According to the Surgeon General, more than half of all children age 5 to 9 haveat least onecavity or filling and 78 percent of children will experience tooth decay by the age of 17. Despite the importance of oral care, according toa recent national survey a numberof parents frequently encounterresistance from their child(ren) during the oral care routine. In fact, only half of the parents reported that their child even “likes” caring for their teeth. Award-winning parenting and lifestyle expert Donna Erickson’s philosophy is that parents can turn everyday routines into relationship builders. With almost 75 percent of parents looking for innovative ways to makethe oral care routine more enjoyable, Donna has created realistic advice and helpful tips for enhancing the routine and making the experience fun and pleasant for the entire family. “Children’s oral care is essential andit is easy to integrate family bonding into the morning and evening routine,” she says. For healthy and happy kids Donna’s top five tips for oral care fun include: Award rewards — Offer incentive prizes or certificates for a job well done. Chart progress on an activity sheet or star chart to show how well your child accomplishes his/her goals and keeps up with the oral care routine. Personalize — Decorate a toothbrush, rinse cup or hand towel for each child so he/she has personaltools for a hygiene routine. Taste grape — Offer your child dental products specifically Sh 5 FL Ml TGP c fi i { a P Good oral care can help keep a child’s teeth healthy and strong. designed for kids that are fun and flavorful. Toothpastes and fluoride rinses come in many kid-friendly varieties that offer a treat for a clean mouth as well as a healthy smile. My favorite is ACT Fluoride Rinse—it reduces cavities by up to 40 percent, and kids love the cool flavors like Groovy GRAPE™ and Bubble Gum Blow Out”. * Countdown — Set a two- minute timer when your child begins brushing and launch a countdown to healthy teeth. Count out loud for the last 10 seconds and then allow yourchild to spit just in time to beat the buzzer. Jazz it up — Play “Name That Tune” with your child. Ask him/her to hum a groovy song while using a fluoride rinse and you guess the song. Let the child choose a reward for answering correctly. Log onto www.actfluoride.com for more fun tips from Donna to get your child in the act of good oral care.