Stuffed Animals with Teeth Teach your Kids Dental Hygiene

Being a young parent nowadays is not without its challenges. From difficulties achieving work-life balance to having to deal with many other setbacks arising from the dynamics of this incredibly fast-paced world, it’s no wonder we often look for shortcuts and tools to make our lives at least a tad easier. The same goes for our parental role where it seems we are bound to deal with something new almost every day. This also includes teaching our little ones how to practice good dental hygiene, which we all know is a lasting process that can extend to many months and years. 

If your day also doesn’t last for 48 hours and you don’t have time to think of inventive ways to instill good dental hygiene habits in your child, this article might just be for you. Below, we will discuss the use of stuffed animals with teeth in teaching our kids all about the best oral hygiene techniques, saving us precious time and nerves along the way.

Introducing The Dental Toys To Your Toddler

Right before you know it, the days of babyhood are over. Now, you have to deal with your toddler’s temper tantrums and think of ways to teach them dental hygiene with as little fuss as possible. Dental toys can be a great first step towards nurturing and developing good oral health habits that will last for a lifetime. The reasons behind it are many. First, science says that a child learns best through play, so why not put this to good use? Dental toys are specifically designed to alleviate your oral care teaching efforts, promoting play and creativity at the same time.

Second, children are proven to have short attention spans. So no, you’re not imagining that your child gets bored every five minutes. This means that you’re forced to devise new ways to get their valuable attention that is otherwise lost to countless objects, sounds, and sensations. When that occurs, it’s time to consider tools that could help you save time, nerves, and energy for other meaningful activities with your tot. If you opt for a dental plushy, it won’t cost you an arm or a leg while it can pay off heftily in ways more than one.

These Dental Plushies Are Not Just Ordinary Toys

Specifically designed to showcase all teeth, gums, and tongue, dental plushies make explaining the proper brushing and flossing to your kid surprisingly easier. While it’s still the most important for them to see you brush regularly to mimic your behavior, these toys can prove to be life-savers when explaining the technique itself, including the right angle, the proper brush strokes, etc. They come in the form of various animals, many of which are kids’ all-time favorites, including dragons and dinosaurs, to draw their attention faster and allow them to establish an emotional connection with a plushie. 

Dental Puppets Are Part Of Almost Every Pediatric Dentist’s Inventory

We assume that pediatric dentist offices lacking dental puppets in their arsenal are rare these days. No wonder about that since stuffed animals with teeth have a great reputation for reducing dental fear and anxiety in children. They allow dentists to show their young patients the entire course of the treatment they are about to have, so they can better prepare for it. 

On the other hand, dentists also use these during their patient’s regular appointments as precious educational tools for teaching the best dental hygiene steps to prevent cavities, gum disease, and other forms of tooth decay. If introduced right, children usually respond great to them and feel more involved in the learning process. They also create space for transforming something as dull and repetitive as brushing and flossing into something fun that we do to ensure we have amazing dental health in the future to come.

In Conclusion

Using stuffed animals with teeth is a great way to teach your kids dental hygiene. However, you will still need to invest some time and energy in learning how to use them properly. You can get one for your home or check if your chosen pediatric dentist has a dental puppet in their office. If the latter is true, they will probably use it during your kid’s regular dental checkups to explain the importance of preventive dental care and hygiene or prepare them for their upcoming treatment. But we recommend having one at home nevertheless to make sure you achieve the best possible results. However, do keep in mind that children learn most through their relationship with you and via the example you set for them, and there’s nothing in this world that could possibly replace that. 

Have you thought about getting a stuffed animal with teeth yet? Do you already have one? Tell us all about it in the comments below!