Monthly Archives: April 2021

5 Fun Ways to Welcome the Tooth Fairy

Written by- https://www.mouthhealthy.org/

For generations, the Tooth Fairy has left a small gift for children who hid their fallen baby teeth under their pillow. This charming tradition is the perfect time to help kids learn more about taking care of their teeth. Here are 5 delightful and inexpensive ways to embrace this magical spirit with the whole family.

1. A receipt for your child’s tooth

This little document can be left in your child’s bedroom as a remembrance of the event. Buy a receipt pad and write it out yourself. Include your child’s name, the date, a description of the tooth received, and the reward, plus a small note such as: “Thank you for this lovely tooth! I can see that you are brushing every day. Keep up the good work!”

2. A tooth fairy dish 

Here’s a sweet alternative to the under-the-pillow trick (and one that is much easier to access): help your child choose or create a special dish to keep their teeth. Visit a local thrift shop or housewares store to find one, or paint your own at a local ceramics studio. Talk with your child about what she or he thinks might please the Tooth Fairy’s eye … perhaps one that is shiny and bright, like a healthy smile!

3. A keepsake book

A simple blank notebook can be turned into a lasting record of Tooth Fairy’s visits. Invite your child to choose one at an office supply store or bookstore. You can have fun decorating the notebook with your child’s name, hometown and any other details s/he would like the Tooth Fairy to know. Have your child write the Tooth Fairy a note before bed every time he or she loses a tooth. When you leave your child’s gift behind, record the date and add a little note, such as: “This is a very handsome tooth! Did you know you’re on your way to having 32 grownup teeth someday?”

4. A bright-smile calendar

The Tooth Fairy’s visit is a great time to engage kids in healthy dental habits. Along with the Tooth Fairy’s gift, leave a brushing calendar in your child’s room as an extra gift. You can also make it reusable by laminating it at your local office-supply store and provide a colorful dry-erase marker for your child to record each time he or she brushes, flosses, or visits the dentist.

5. A Tooth Fairy “Smilestone” scrapbook page

It can be fun to record how your child’s smile changes as baby teeth fall out and grownup teeth come in. Create a milestone keepsake album of “smilestones” to memorialize each visit from the Tooth Fairy. If you want to make your own, choose an album from the dollar or craft store — or have fun making one together with colored paper, stickers, yarn, and other supplies. You can also just add a scrapbook page to your baby book. Talk with your child about the experience of losing a tooth and capture memories in the pages of the album. Leave it out in your child’s bedroom for the Tooth Fairy to enjoy, too, and consider sharing with the dentist at your next checkup!

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/playing-the-tooth-fairy

How to avoid the risks of Mask Mouth?

Written by- https://orawellness.com/

There’s a new oral health development due to the events of 2020 that warrants a discussion.

Dentists are witnessing an uptick in the prevalence of dry mouth, gum disease, and tooth decay.

This uptick is being attributed to habitually wearing masks for long periods, which is why the media has named this new phenomenon “mask mouth”.

In this article, the focus will be on the solutions.

There’s a physiology behind how wearing a mask can impact one’s oral health and how to reduce the risks. Understanding how masks can affect our mouths can help us to take action so we can safely wear masks, while maintaining our oral health.

What is “mask mouth”?

Mask mouth is a new phenomenon for our global culture – it refers to the effects on our oral health due to long-term mask usage. Due to the pandemic, the public at large is now faced with having to navigate the impact of prolonged habitual mask-wearing, including mask mouth.

First, let’s take a look at what causes mask mouth. Then we’ll look into what you can do to avoid the risks of mask-wearing.

 What happens to our teeth when wearing a mask?

Did you know that one cause of tooth decay is dry mouth?

Yep, saliva levels play a huge role in whether or not the thug bugs implicated with tooth decay (and gum disease) gain the upper hand in the oral microbiome.

Decreased saliva levels allow these trouble-causing oral pathogens to build their numbers.

Wearing a mask might make you less likely to drink water during the day to stay hydrated and maintain the moisture important for a healthy mouth.

You might also find yourself breathing more often through your mouth instead of your nose when wearing a mask.

Habitual mouth breathing also invites a host of other system-wide breakdowns, including bad breath and even teeth becoming misaligned over time (because it prevents the tongue from being in the proper position against the roof of the mouth to help support the alignment of  the teeth).

So, here’s the issue summary as it’s seen…

1. Wearing a mask may make you less likely to drink water frequently, and more likely to breathe through your mouth.
2. Both of these lead to decreased saliva and dry mouth.
3. A dry mouth allows thug bugs to proliferate and gain the upper hand in the oral microbiome.
4. If the above steps are habitual, then this shift in the oral microbiome causes an increased tendency for both tooth decay and gum disease

So if masks have to be worn right now due to the pandemic, what can be done to help ourselves?

What can be done to mitigate the risks of mask mouth?

Thankfully there are several actions that can be taken up to help navigate this challenging situation.

1. Find opportunities to safely remove your mask during the day.

Simply put, seek to limit the amount of time you are breathing through a mask. Why risk causing the physiological down-regulation for longer than you have to?

For example, the next time you’re on the road, take notice of how many people you see driving in cars by themselves while wearing a mask. When you’re in the car alone, that’s a good opportunity to give your body a break by lowering your mask and breathing freely (through your nose, of course!). 

2. Be conscious of your breathing and water intake.

If you need to wear a mask for longer periods, tune into your breathing. By bringing conscious awareness to your breathing regularly, you can remind yourself to breathe easily through your nose, and also to take breaks for water when it is safe.

While in a mask-heavy zone, try setting a timer for every 15-30 minutes. This way, your little timer can go off and remind you to turn your attention to taking 5 slow, deep breaths.

3. Learn to keep your tongue in the ‘home’ position and to breathe through your nose all the time (even when you’re not wearing a mask).

This gem is a big one for us.

This technique has SO much benefit for the entire being. Limiting to just the scope of this article, learning to keep your tongue in the ‘home’ position helps to maintain existing saliva levels and it can even help to naturally increase the saliva production. 

Also, if the tongue is trained to rest in the place where it’s meant to hang out (the roof of the mouth), it becomes natural to breathe more fully, which addresses some of the negative consequences of mask-wearing.

4. Maintain a good oral hygiene routine.

Some people start slacking on their oral hygiene when they know they’re going to be wearing a mask. After all, who’s going to smell your breath?

While it might be tempting to save time by skipping some brushing sessions, this can be detrimental to the long-term oral health. (Also, remember that whether it’s fresh or stinky, you will be the one who is stuck smelling your breath in that mask! )

In all seriousness, it’s important to maintain diligence with healthy oral hygiene habits, including conscious brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning daily.

https://orawellness.com/mask-mouth/