Circle Time

This Is The Way We Brush Our Teeth

Cavity Free Kids > Activities > Circle Time > This Is The Way We Brush Our Teeth
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Supplies and Preparation

  • Song poster for “This is the Way We Brush Our Teeth”.
  • Giant toothbrush.
  • Mouth model or stuffed animal with teeth.
  • Blanket or cloth to cover model or animal and giant toothbrush.
  • Cup or plate with 1⁄2 pea size amount of toothpaste on it.

Print PDFs:

This is the Way We Brush Our Teeth Song PDF

Parent Handout - Brush The Food Away PDF

Parent Handout - Tooth Protecting Tools PDF

Instructions

Let children know that this week (or today) the class will be talking about taking care of our teeth.

Morning is a good time to brush our teeth. We brush after breakfast (or insert meal) every day here at school. It’s important to brush every night before you go to bed too. Let’s learn more about how to brush really well.

I have a surprise here today to help you learn about how to brush. Uncover the puppet/giant mouth and the giant toothbrush.

Every day you will get a little bit of toothpaste for your brush, because you don’t need very much. Show children the small amount of toothpaste that they will use each day.

This is how we brush the tooth clean! Make tiny, little circles, and gentle scrubs. We gently scrub with little circles on the side. Count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Move toothbrush in circles around each side of the tooth while children count with you.

Let’s do little tickly circles on the top. Count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Tiny circles on the front. Count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And tiny circles on the back. Count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

There! We did it! We gently scrubbed and tickled the food and germs all away with our toothbrush. We brush every tooth the same way. Remember, a grown-up needs to you brush your teeth.

Let’s practice all together while we sing a tooth brushing song!

Sing song to the tune of “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.”

Continue to demonstrate brushing as you sing, encourage children to hold up a finger and pretend to use it as a toothbrush, brushing the outside of their mouths.

This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth.

This is the way we brush our teeth so early in the morning!

That’s what we will do every day. Now I give my toothbrush to the teacher to rinse and put away to dry.

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Activity Index

Brush, Floss, Swish

Goal

Brush Floss Swish

Big Bites: Things You Should Know
  • Everyone should brush their teeth for two minutes, two times a day (after breakfast and before bed).
  • Use a smear of fluoridated toothpaste starting with tooth eruption to age 3; after that, use a pea size.
  • Brush all sides of each tooth using a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Do not rinse your mouth out when you finish brushing.
  • Floss at least once a day to remove food and germs stuck between teeth.  Begin flossing a child’s teeth when the teeth touch.
  • When brushing is not possible, after eating rinse your mouth with water.  Swish the water around your mouth and then swallow it.  Children can usually swish and swallow at about age 3.
  • An adult should assist a child with brushing until they can tie a shoe lace, between 6 to 8 years old.

CFK Throughout the Day

Throughout the Classroom
  • Decorate a bulletin board with pictures of dental tools children may see at a dentist office. Label them.
  • Hang a chart in the classroom called “I had a dental check-up.” Create a thermometer visual that you color in as children get their dental check-up.
  • Set up a pretend dental office for dramatic play.   
At Meals and Snacks
  • Ask:  Who’s been to the dentist?  What do you remember about the visit?
While Brushing Teeth
  • Be a role model.  Brush your teeth with the children to show you take care of your teeth too.
  • Talk about making tiny, tickly circles with a toothbrush to clean the food and germs away.
  • Give each child an “I brushed my teeth today” sticker to wear home Tell children the dentist will be so proud of them when he sees how well they have been brushing.
  • Have children pretend their brushes are like the special spinning toothbrush the dentist uses and make a humming noise while they brush.
During Transitions
  • When children are getting ready to go home, put a sticker on each child that says, “Today I learned about visiting the dentist!”

 

Activities for Early Learning