A super fun game to teach your kids how to floss

As an adult we all know the importance of flossing, so when it comes to teaching your little ones about their dental health we want to encourage you to start early with repetition. Flossing helps to remove plaque from tight spaces and makes the brushing process much more effective; preventing stains for a brighter smile and healthier gums!

This game is a great way to teach little ones how to floss!

Materials:

Play Dough, don’t have any on hand? Here’s a quick and easy home recipe:

Step 1: Mix together 1 cup of flour and ¼ cup of salt Step 2: Mix together in a separate bowl ½ cup of warm water with a few drops of food coloring. Step 3: Slowly pour the water into the flour mixture, stirring as you pour. Stir until combined, then knead with your hands until the flour is completely absorbed.

Large Building Blocks

String – yarn, ribbon, or a shoe lace

How to prepare:

The building blocks are going to be the teeth, the play dough is going to act as the stuck food and plaque, and the string is going to be the dental floss.

To prepare the game place some of the play dough between the building blocks. Teach your kids how to properly hold the floss, gently wrapping it around their index finger, and then let them play removing the “plaque and stuck food” from the teeth. You can tell them that they are the superheroes defeating the villain “Plaque” and saving “Teeth City”.

If you let the play dough sit between the building blocks over night it will harden a bit, making the cleaning process more difficult; this is a great way to teach them how the plaque can transform into tartar if we let it sit there for time and showing them how important is to floss every single day.

Flossing requires coordination and dexterity – abilities that games like this help to improve – also keep in mind kids under the age of 10 may need some help and supervision while they are flossing on a daily basis.

Teaching your kids how to floss is one important habit that they will carry all their lives, we hope you enjoy this game and please let us know if you try it out!

At Surfside Kids Dental, we truly strive to make all smiles come true while providing the finest pediatric and orthodontic dental care in town! Great service combined with a fun and vacation-like experience your family will love – check us out and ask about our new patient specials!