Sand and Water

Tooth Healthy Foods Treasure Hunt

Cavity Free Kids > Activities > Sand and Water > Tooth Healthy Foods Treasure Hunt
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Supplies and Preparation

  • Tooth healthy plastic or wood foods like fruits, vegetables, cheese, meats, beans, and whole grain breads and pastas.
  • Place a basket, bowl or bag next to the sand table.
  • Plastic shovels.

Instructions

Set up the sand table with the foods covered by the sand. Let children use the shovels to find the foods. Encourage conversation that includes naming the food and talking about why it is tooth healthy.

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Activity Index

Tooth Healthy Foods

Goal

Tooth Healthy Foods

Big Bites: Things You Should Know
  • The combination of germs and carbohydrates (sugar and starches) creates an acid that attacks teeth.
  • Cavity causing germs can be passed from a mother or caregiver to a baby through kissing, sharing utensils, or by putting baby’s pacifier in mom’s mouth.
  • Continual snacking on sugary or starchy foods or drinking juice or soda causes repeated acid attacks. Repeated acid attacks cause cavities.
  • Cavities are almost entirely preventable and can be avoided by limiting continual snacking, drinking water instead of juice/soda, by brushing after eat and by making sure mom doesn’t have active tooth decay.
  • White or brown spots on teeth can be early signs of a cavity and a black spot is probably a cavity.
  • Cavities must be treated by a dentist.
  • Untreated cavities can lead to a serious infection.

 

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