Home Visit

Brush, Floss, Swish – 3 to 5 Years

Cavity Free Kids > Activities > Home Visit > Brush, Floss, Swish – 3 to 5 Years
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Supplies and Preparation

  • Floss and or white yarn

For Extending the Learning:

  • Egg carton (cut in half and place upside down to represent a row of teeth)
  • Plastic or cut outs of food pieces or wrappers
  • Scarf or yarn
  • Flossing is Fun!
  • Toothbrushing and Flossing Chart

Print PDFs:

Parent Handout - Flossing is Fun

Parent Handout - How To Floss

Parent Handout - Toothbrush Floss Chart

Instructions

Starting the Conversation
  • Does your child have teeth that touch? If yes, how do you clean in between the teeth?
  • Have you tried flossing your child’s teeth?
  • How does your child respond when you floss his teeth? What’s working well?
  • What can I help you do?
  • It is recommended that we all floss our teeth at least once a day that includes adults and children!
Parent and Child Activities

1. Demonstrate How to Floss a Child’s Teeth

  • Demonstrate how to floss a child’s teeth by using the parent’s hand (each finger represents a tooth). Use floss or white yarn and the flossing instructions on the “How to Floss” handout, page 101.

2. Practice Flossing the Child’s Teeth

  • Show the parent the different types of floss/ flossers and let her choose the one she likes best.
  • Coach the parent as she flosses her child’s teeth. Model how to encourage the child to open his mouth. For example, tell the child to open wide like an alligator.
  • Remind the parent that flossing takes practice, and it will become easier over time.

HOW TO FLOSS

  • Wrap the floss around your middle or index fingers to get a firm grip.
  • Hold between your thumbs and fingers.
  • Gently slide the floss between two teeth. Then wrap the floss toward one tooth, hugging it as you gently slide it up, back, forth, and down.
  • Repeat this process on all teeth. Remember to hug that back tooth even though it is the last one in line.
Extending the Learning

A. Let the child paint or color teeth on an egg carton

  • Once the carton is painted, the child can practice flossing in between the teeth with white yarn.

B. Bring some teeth cuts outs and hide them around the room

  • Let the child find them while you’re talking with the parent!

C. Flossing dance

  • Turn on some music and give child a piece of white string, yarn or scarf and let her dance and wiggle the “floss” up and down her side to the music.
Closing
  • What might make flossing fun for you and your child?
  • What can you try so that flossing becomes a regular part of your child’s daily routine? What time of day would work best?

 

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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