Happy Holiday Dental Tips for Kids

The holiday season can be a busy time for families and those destructive rapscallions—the Sugarbugs. With kids out of school, a steady stream of festivities and sugary treats, and a dose of holiday travel in the mix, maintaining a oral health routine can easily get lost like last year’s Christmas toys.

That’s why your team of sidekicks at Little Heroes Pediatric Dentistry would like to remind parents and caregivers that the holiday season is a great time to help young kids establish healthy dental habits. Let’s make the most of the holiday season and have a reason to smile brightly by following these happy holiday dental tips for kids.

Don’t let your tots think they are nutcrackers.

Your little biters might naturally want to open nuts with their teeth—this is an absolute no-no. The hard surfaces of the nutshells can easily crack a tooth or cause serious gum damage. If you want your little one to enjoy all that delicious (and healthy) protein found in nuts, then purchase a cool holiday nutcracker, and make shelling an event they can enjoy.

Teeth are not tools.

Your little hero will surely be excited to open up all of their amazing holiday gifts, but teeth are not tools to be used on packages and bottles. Gripping a package or bottle cap with teeth can easily crack them or cause even greater damage like tooth loss, which can require more extensive dental care. Help your children by getting off the stubborn portions of packaging and also make sure you handle the scissors.

Don’t let those Sugarbugs ruin your holiday cheer.

Your children will probably have visions of sugarplums dancing in their head, and while you don’t have to completely dampen the holiday festivities, be sure to keep an eye out on those sugary treats, especially:

• Candy canes—these sweets stay can stay in the mouth for too long, and if bitten, can chip teeth.
• Holiday cookies—cookies are chock full of sugar and overindulgence can cause cavities.
• Festive drinks—those cups of eggnog and hot chocolate are made delicious by a ton of sugar. Plus, there’s the obligatory whip cream and more. Try to stick to small servings.

Traveling? Make a fun, kid-friendly travel pack.

Little ones love to own their own things—even if it is just a dental kit. Allow them to pick out a special toothbrush and mini-toothpaste for their time away from home. Make sure to include floss to encourage great oral health care habits. Or you can go shopping by yourself and give this as an early Christmas “present” to get them excited.

Help your kids keep to their routine.

Traveling can make it very easy to become lax or outright forget regular dental routines. But a couple of weeks of holiday cheer without the proper habits can mean problems down the road. Use the holiday season to encourage children to maintain healthy routines; consider buying them holiday colored toothbrushes and floss to celebrate the season.

Come celebrate the holidays with

Little Heroes Pediatric Dentistry. Because your child probably has some time off from school during the holidays, now is the perfect time to schedule that cleaning and checkup.

Our sidekicks at Little Heroes Pediatric Dentistry would like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season! And don’t forget to come visit us at our Laredo, Mission, or San Juan offices.