February is National Children's Dental Health Month

Happy National Children's Dental Health Month!

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), developing good oral care habits early can help start kids down the path to a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. Not only is it painful, but dental disease can cause kids to miss school, which negatively impacts their learning. The good news is that tooth decay is preventable!

The best way to observe Children's Dental Health Month, of course, is to encourage kids to brush twice a day for two minutes at a time. There are numerous tools available to help make sure kids brush for long enough, from simple timers to hourglasses  to this zany, light-up critter named Molar Mate.

There are lots of fun ways to help youngsters learn about their teeth and oral health, too.

Children will enjoy doing the experiments provided in a fun card pack from Renaissance Dental. These simple activities will help them learn about the importance of flossing, the powers of fluoride, and more, all in a hands-on way.

For game-lovers, the ADA has put together an activity pack of word searches, connect-the-dots pictures, coloring pages, and more. Online gamers will find plenty to do on Colgate's Kids World page. There are plenty of free games to choose from for children as young as two and as old as nine.

The temptations of Valentine's Day candy mid-month will put kids' dental hygiene habits to the test. Make sure they're ready to take a bite out of tooth decay with healthy practices!