Dentists recommend that young children brush their teeth twice each day. Preschool children need use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Demonstrate the importance of toothpaste with a simple experiment. Boil and cool three eggs; place one egg in a glass of water; place the second egg in a glass of brown soda such as cola or root beer; wipe toothpaste over the surface of the third egg and place it in another glass of brown soda. Instruct preschoolers to record their observations by drawing each egg at the start of the experiment. After they have soaked for 24 hours, remove each egg and ask students to describe and record what they see. The shell from the egg in the water cup will remain white and the one without toothpaste from the soda cup will appear brown; wipe the toothpaste from the third eggshell and students will see the soda was unable to penetrate the toothpaste so the third egg remained white. Discuss the importance of students protecting their own teeth by brushing with toothpaste twice each day as their dentist instructs.
Flossing is an important part of dental care. Dental hygienists floss each patient and will encourage young children to adopt this healthy habit. Create a model set of teeth to demonstrate proper flossing technique and allow students to practice. Turn the bottom of a shoe box upside down. Draw large teeth protruding down from the roof of the mouth, on top of the box. Cut out the teeth leaving the top of each tooth attached to the box. Cut 20 inches of string for the floss. Demonstrate proper flossing technique by wrapping each string end around each index finger and sliding the floss between teeth removing imaginary food particles and plaque. Allow students to practice flossing while the box is held securely.
Dentists stress the importance of keeping teeth clean to avoid needed repairs and to help patients maintain their healthy smiles. Conduct a simple experiment with preschool students to demonstrate the importance of cleaning teeth, particularly after eating acidic food. Clean one chicken bone for each student in class and set the bones aside to dry for one week. Give each student in class one bone and have them work in partners, assigning one student to place a bone in a bowl of vinegar and the other student to place the other bone in a dry bowl and allow the bones to sit for three days; drain the vinegar and remove both bones from the bowls. Students will observe that the acid from the vinegar weakened the calcium, causing the bone from the vinegar bowl to feel soft and rubbery while the bone from the dry bowl will remain strong. Discuss with students the importance of removing acid from teeth by brushing with toothpaste twice each day.
Invite a dentist or dental hygienist to visit the classroom. Ask him to explain what a visit to the dentist entails and show the children some of his dental instruments. Allow children to ask questions. Create a play dental area of the preschool classroom. Set out puppets and dolls with mouths that open or that have teeth. Purchase a few toothbrushes and rolls of dental floss. Turn several chairs into dental chairs. Explain to students that the play dental area is for practicing good dental hygiene habits on the puppets and dolls. Acting as a dentist, students may place the puppet patients on the dental chair for a thorough cleaning of their teeth. Instruct students that only the dentist or hygienist -- not their classroom friends -- may safely touch inside their own mouths.