National Children’s Dental Health Month

Download PosterEvery February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month.

The goal of Children’s Dental Health Month is to raise awareness about the importance of oral health for our kids. Developing good dental hygiene habits when we are kids and keeping regular visits to the dentist helps our children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

This year’s NCDHM slogan is “Sugar Wars”. The Smileys, McGrinns and K9 are in a spaceship, the USS SweetSwatter. It is equipped with toothbrush swatters, fighting against the Sweet Tooth Invaders for good oral health.


The Adventures of the USS SugarSwatter!

Sugars are everywhere and the crew of the USS SugarSwatter are climbing on board. Their
mission? To eliminate sugars wherever they lurk! Flossy and Buck McGrinn, Den and Gen Smiley, and their trusty pal K-9 are certainly up to the task. They know just how to fight the sugars that can cause cavities and poor oral health. First, it’s important to avoid eating sugary snacks and instead make healthy food choices – like fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins instead of sweet snacks like cookies, candy and cake. When our crew is thirsty, they opt for water to drink, rather than soda pop. Even so, they follow the “2min2x” rule. That’s code for “brush your teeth two minutes, two times a day.”
Flossy, Buck, Den, and Gen know the importance of good dental habits to keep their smilesbright. They brush their teeth when they get up in the morning and again before they go to bed at night. They also floss once each day to clean the spaces in between their teeth. Because Den wears braces, he is especially careful about keeping his teeth healthy so he has a bright smile when the braces come off.
Do you want to join the crew of the USS SugarSwatter and fight for good oral health? Join in the fun by playing the games and completing the activities to learn how to take good care of your teeth. And remember the code “2min2x”! For a super smile and healthy mouth, brush your teeth two minutes, two times a day.

Activity Sheet Downloads
Download and share these fun games, puzzles and cool coloring sheets to help educate your kids on the importance of dental health.

Sugar Wars Calendar
Sugar Wars Coloring Sheet
Sugar Wars Crossword
Sugar Wars Crossword Teens
Sugar Wars Maze
Sugar Wars Word Search

8 Toothy Tips for National Children’s Dental Health Month
The most important preventive step against childhood periodontal disease is to establish good oral health habits at an early age, according to the American Academy of Periodontology.

Here are some basic preventive steps to help our children maintain optimal dental health:

  1. Brush for two minutes, 2 times per day…with our kids.
  2. Show them how to clean between teeth…FLOSS!
  3. Limit sugary snacks & drinks between meals, eat healthy.
  4. See the dentist regularly for family checkups, and ask them about sealants & fluoride.
  5. Establish good dental hygiene habits early. When your child is 12 months old, you can begin using toothpaste when brushing his or her teeth.
  6. When the gaps between children’s teeth close, it’s important to start flossing.
  7. Serve as a good role model by practicing good dental hygiene habits ourselves.
  8. Check our child’s mouth for the signs of periodontal disease, including bleeding gums, swollen and bright red gums, gums that are receding away from the teeth and bad breath.