During your lesson teach preschoolers that dentists tell us to brush our teeth at least twice a day to keep them healthy. As a post-lesson wrap up, teach your students the following rhyme to help them remember when they will need to properly brush their teeth: "I have a little toothbrush, I hold it very tight, I brush my teeth each morning, and then again at night." You can extend the activity by developing hand motions or finger plays to go along with the words, such as using an index finger as a toothbrush.
A great way to show children plaque on their teeth is by using disclosing tablets. Disclosing tablets are made of vegetable dye and they make plaque-ridden areas turn red. They can be found at most drug or grocery stores by the pharmacy. Have the children brush their teeth as they normally do. When they are finished, have them chew on a disclosing tablet. Now, show them their teeth in a mirror and explain that the areas that have turned red still have plaque on them and need to be brushed better to be really clean. This activity will make quite an impression on young tooth brushers.
After teaching a lesson about plaque and explaining that it makes teeth appear yellow, begin the teeth brushing activity with your preschool class. Each child will need a yellow piece of construction paper. Give each child a template of a large tooth. Have them trace it on to their paper. When they're ready, let them "brush" their paper tooth with white paint and a paintbrush. Explain to students that they can clean the plaque or "yellow" off of their teeth with fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush twice a day.
For each child in your preschool class, boil an egg in water with a tea bag until hardboiled (about 12 minutes). The eggs will be stained brown. While the eggs dry and cool, teach children about stains on teeth and how we can clean teeth with fluoride toothpaste, toothbrushes and the proper technique. Explain that we can prevent tooth staining and guarantee clean teeth when we take care of them each day. Give each child a toothbrush with a little toothpaste and one stained egg. Demonstrate how the stain can be removed with a good tooth brushing. The kids will be amazed and it will encourage good oral hygiene.