For a child, visiting the dentist office may not have any reasons to celebrate. For many, visiting the dentist comes with many fears and anxieties. Instead of feeding into these fears, you can turn the appointment into a positive experience. By celebrating random dental holidays, your son or daughter's next visit to the childrens dentist could be one filled with celebration and fun activities.
Celebrating the following five dental holidays at home can help a child easily transition into the office for a standard cleaning or examination.
World Smile Day - First Friday in October
Start your child's day off with a smile on World Smile Day. This is a great opportunity to teach your child the importance of a healthy smile and ways to keep their teeth and gums clean. To help celebrate the day a little more, you could give your child a special dental gift like a special toothbrush or mouthwash. Showcase their smile by taking some pictures.
If your child's dentist appointment is near this day, it's a good time to go over the procedures that a dentist uses to help your smile. Talk in a friendly way about the different tools used to clean mouths. Focus on the positive aspects of a visit like the cool sunglasses you get to wear or the different flavors of polish that the child can choose from.
National Dentist Day - March 6th
Dentists all over the United States are celebrated on March 6th. This is a great time to schedule your child's appointment and showcase appreciation to the hard-working dentists. Your child can celebrate by purchasing a small gift for the dentist. A variety of gifts include tooth-shaped coffee mugs, notepads, or key chains.
Instead of spending money, you child also has the opportunity to make a nice present to celebrate the holiday. A special drawing or poster can showcase the child brushing their teeth or a full smile. It can even be something goofy like an alligator visiting a dentist. These small celebrations can help a child understand the role of a dentist and how important it is to have teeth cleaned.
National Toothache Day - February 9th
This is one holiday many children will not want to celebrate. Even though it's called toothache day, the holiday acts as a way of preventing toothaches. For children, this can mean choosing healthy snacks over sugary ones. You can educate children on ways to avoid toothaches. Watching fun videos about dental health is another great way to celebrate this holiday.
If your child has a dentist appointment around this time, then the dentist can explain the problems that can occur at the start of a toothache. This includes cavities or pulled teeth.
National Tooth Fairy Day - August 22nd
As children start to lose their teeth, it's a good time to start celebrating National Tooth Fairy Day. During this holiday, you can teach your child about the tooth fairy ritual and even set up different things for a tooth fairy. This includes small furniture or little notes for when a child loses a tooth.
When a tooth is loose, a dentist can teach a child about proper care and the importance of adult teeth. A dentist can also go over the average time for the loss of specific teeth like molars. Using the tooth fairy holiday, children can get excited and learn at the same time.
Dental Hygiene Month
Instead of a single day, the whole month of October is celebrated as Dental Hygiene month. During this month, you can make an appointment at your dentist and discover a lot of special programs. Children will likely get more pamphlets and information on having healthy teeth. Company sponsors may offer more extras like toothbrushes, mouth washes, and small toys for children. The children will love all the extras while learning about proper oral health at the same time.
Contact your local children's dentist about any special events they may be having to celebrate these various holidays. By adding a little fun to your child's next appointment, things can go a lot smoother and set them up for a future with a healthy smile.
Share8 July 2015
