Discuss with the kindergartners what teeth do. Think about things such as smiling, chewing and eating, and talking. Ask them why we brush our teeth. Explain that we are protecting our teeth from germs that cause cavities, or holes, in the teeth. Next display a hard-boiled egg and ask children what the outside of the egg is called. Then explain that the shell protects the egg and that teeth also have protection. It is called the enamel. Pour two cups of vinegar into a jar and place the egg in it. Place the lid on the jar and display in the classroom for two days. After two days, carefully remove the egg and ask the students to tell you what happened to the egg. Explain how the vinegar broke down the protection or the shell and that when we don't brush our teeth, germs break down the enamel of our teeth in the same way.
Provide students with small handheld mirrors and ask them to look at their mouths. Let them try to count how many teeth they have. Explain that small children usually have 20 but when they grow up they will have a full set of 32 permanent teeth. After giving students crayons and markers and white paper, allow them to draw their own mouth. Encourage them to include their lips, tongue, teeth and gums. Talk about the different shapes of teeth such as the molars, incisors and canines.
Tell the kindergarteners that besides brushing, other things can help protect our teeth. One way to have healthy teeth is to eat healthy foods and avoid sugary junk food. Provide students with a sheet of paper that has a line down the center. On one side at the top will be a picture of a sad tooth with cavities and on the other side a happy, healthy tooth. Provide students with grocery store fliers, magazines and other illustrations of various types of foods and drinks. Give students scissors and glue sticks to complete the activity. Kids will cut out pictures of healthy foods and glue on the healthy, happy tooth side of the paper, and glue pictures of sugary junk food and drinks on the sad tooth side.
Provide students with large tooth cutouts and give them white paint. Have the children use toothbrushes to paint the teeth, or pretend to brush the teeth white. Another art and craft dental idea is to make a model of teeth. Give students large marshmallows and explain how to make molars by indenting them with a small wad of paper, make a canine by clipping the corners, and making the incisors by flattening the marshmallows. Display a pattern for the children to copy with three molars at the back then going to the front, one canine and four incisors across the front. Glue onto a piece of paper and allow to dry thoroughly.