Throughout DENTAL HEALTH WEEK, we were smiling and showing off our pearly whites! We discussed how to take care of our teeth and gums to keep our gleaming smiles. We learned that there are healthy foods that help keep our teeth and bodies strong, as well as foods to avoid that can be harmful to our teeth.

Do you know that you can get cavities, which are holes in teeth formed by decay? Yuck! Some of us were shocked to learn that all our teeth will fall out and new adult teeth will replace them! There was a silver lining to that news…The Tooth Fairy! We were tickled to learn about this amazing little fairy, who so happily collects our teeth that have fallen out and leaves us a treat!! A treat for loosing our teeth?? Whoa!

We read books like “The Tooth Book”, “I Have A Cavity”, and “Snacks For Healthy Teeth”. Each one showed detailed pictures of visits to the dentists, the proper way to brush and care for our teeth, and the best foods to eat to help our teeth stay healthy.

Using mega blocks, play dough, and yarn, we practiced flossing “our teeth”. We were sure to get in between each tooth! In math, we used tweezers and mini marshmallows to count teeth and place them into a mouth. It took some precise fine motor skills to get that job done! The Smile Recognition game we played in Pre K was so fun! We had to guess which of our friends’ smile was pictured. Painting with toothbrushes was a great art activity, helping us to use gentle strokes as we made yellow teeth shine bright white!

After learning all about dental hygiene, we each got to practice on a model of a mouth, just like the one we see at the dentist’s office! Our friends sang our tooth brushing songs, as we brushed and flossed away. Remind us to brush at least twice a day and encourage us to eat well! We want to keep these gorgeous grins forever! Keep smiling…