{"id":5764,"date":"2022-04-27T11:15:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T15:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinacompletedental.com\/?p=5764"},"modified":"2025-05-05T18:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T18:03:10","slug":"science-rules-fun-crafts-oral-health-experiments-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinacompletedental.com\/blog\/science-rules-fun-crafts-oral-health-experiments-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Rules: Fun Crafts & Oral Health Experiments for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Carolina Complete Dental, we know your little one\u2019s smile fills you with joy and pride; smiles are a source of joy and pride for us, too! We cherish the opportunity to help build a foundation that will ensure your child has a healthy smile for life. But, we know before they become oral hygiene<\/a> pros, they\u2019re not quite sure why interrupting playtime to brush their teeth is necessary\u2014or why you won\u2019t let them have more sugary drinks and snacks. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there are many <\/span>fun <\/b>ways to teach them the importance of dental health<\/span><\/a>. Carolina Complete Dental has a few suggestions you can try out with your child, and if questions come up that you\u2019re not sure how to answer, don\u2019t hesitate to contact us and schedule a visit<\/a>! We love sharing our knowledge and showing families that oral health is a gift that keeps on giving!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brushing Basics<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Demonstrating how to remove the <\/span>nitty-gritty<\/span><\/i> from your little one\u2019s mouth is a good precursor to explaining the nitty-gritty of what can happen if they skip brushing and flossing (whether it\u2019s with the traditional string variety, soft picks, or perhaps a <\/span>WaterPik\u00ae meant for kids<\/span><\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We find large model mouths especially helpful, and they can be fun to put together! If you have access to white Styrofoam\u2122 egg cartons or ice cube trays, you can create the teeth of your model. If you\u2019re going with the egg cartons, you can cut the rows apart and glue, tape, or staple them on cardboard to imitate the upper and lower rows of teeth. For a (slightly) more realistic look, you can paint the cardboard pink! Once you\u2019ve got the mouth ready, your child can practice brushing each tooth and flossing between the spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve got white ice cube trays, a dry erase marker, a craft stick (or a popsicle stick), felt, and glue, you can create another mouth and toothbrush model. Glue the felt to the top of your stick, and you\u2019ve got yourselves a toothbrush that will scrub dry-erase ink from the ice cube trays. You can even spell out plaque, tartar, and bacteria with the dry erase marker, which could make wiping away that ink feel especially satisfying. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flossing Frenzy<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To add to the fun, you can also bust out some play dough (either homemade or store-bought will work) and place it between the spaces of the carton or ice cube tray teeth, then remove the buildup with pipe cleaners or yarn. This step is great for teaching children the importance of flossing. You can tell them, \u201cYour heroic toothbrush needs a sidekick to remove the dangerous, bad-breath causing bugs that it can\u2019t reach alone.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dangerous, Bad-Breath Causing Bugs?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those words might sound scary, and the truth is, they can be. If your child\u2019s oral health defense isn\u2019t strong enough, they\u2019ll be susceptible to tooth decay<\/a> and gum disease<\/a>. Teaching them healthy habits from the beginning goes a long way toward creating strong, beautiful smiles they can be just as proud of as you are. And luckily, little ones really want to follow in the footsteps of the people they\u2019re closest to, so setting a positive example by caring for your smile will make a big difference.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the serious warning out of the way, we\u2019d love to talk about a fun science experiment you can conduct with your little learner!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lab Coat? Check. Goggles? Check. Eggs? Wait, What?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You won\u2019t actually need a lab coat or goggles, but you will need 4 hardboiled eggs and the imagination to pretend they\u2019re teeth. You\u2019ll also need:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n