3 Ways The Tooth Fairy Can Help Your Child Develop Healthy Dental Habits

Everyone has heard of the tooth fairy – that mysterious creature that sneaks into a child's room at night and leaves them money or a small gift in return for their lost baby teeth. For some children, the tooth fairy is a comforting figure that can help alleviate some of the fear or discomfort they might feel when they begin losing baby teeth. But can the tooth fairy help your child keep their teeth healthy? Maybe so! Take a look at some creative ways you can use the tooth fairy myth to help your child develop healthy dental habits.

Tooth Fairies Prefer Healthy Teeth

Sure, the tooth fairy comes whenever a child loses a tooth. But you might want to consider letting your child know that in your house, the tooth fairy has a preference for teeth that are healthy, clean, and well taken care of.

This is easy to do. If your tooth fairy typically leaves 50 cents, let your child know that a tooth that's been brushed and flossed without complaint could get a dollar instead. On the other hand, a tooth with a cavity in it might only be worth a quarter. This can inspire your child to be more vigilant about their dental hygiene in order to add more cash to their piggy bank.

Tooth Fairies Can Bring Encouraging Presents

There's no rule that says that the tooth fairy has to bring money every time. Your tooth fairy can choose to leave other gifts for your child – including gifts that encourage good dental health. For example, your child may wake up one morning to find that the tooth fairy has left them a brand-new toothbrush or a bottle of fluoridated mouthwash.

Don't worry that these aren't exciting enough gifts – it's all in how you present it. A toothbrush may not sound like a thrilling gift to you, but to a child, a toothbrush straight from fairyland could be just the thing to get them excited about brushing their teeth. And that's what you want – a child that is excited about their dental hygiene. A little bit of fairy magic can only help.

Tooth Fairies Don't Have to Wait For A Lost Tooth

While you probably don't want to overwork your tooth fairy, there's no reason that your tooth fairy can't make occasional visits even if there are no teeth to collect. For example, if your child has a dentist appointment that they're nervous about, the tooth fairy could drop by the night before with an encouraging note or a stuffed animal covered with invisible "fairy dust" for your child to hug while they're sitting in the dentist's chair.

It's not uncommon for kids to be nervous about dentist appointments, but it's important for them to have positive experiences with the dentist while they're young. Developing a fear of the dentist can set your child up to avoid dentists later in life. It may be worth using a little fairy magic to help your child get over any fear while they're young. Ask a company like Apollo Dental Center for more ideas about assuaging your child's fears regarding the dentist. 

Encouraging good dental health should be a priority for any parent. Don't be afraid to use a little creativity to get your child on board.