Pull, yank, wiggle that last baby tooth out is the goal for Caleb this month – He needs that one last baby tooth out so that his permanent tooth can continue to erupt. As part of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board Caleb and I stopped into Dr. Smarts office for a quick check on his pre-Invisalign Teen progress – meaning how are those perment teeth erupting so that we can begin treatment.
Caleb tends to be a bit nervous about any upcoming doctor or dental appointments so when I announced he had an appointment with Dr. Smart he began the long list of questions ” Where was he going?”, “what were they going to do?”, ” would it hurt?” and “how long would it take?” the questions continued from the time I announced his appointment until we entered Dr. Smarts office parking lot – once Caleb saw the familiar building we had visited in the past his fears were calmed and he was confident about his appointment.
In the door we went and were quickly ushered into a dental chair for a peek and chat with Dr. Smart – thus the discovery of the one last overly wiggly tooth . So, the race is on for Caleb to wiggle that tooth out.
I can hardly wait to begin the Invisalign Teen process and see first hand this modern approach to straightening teeth. Invisalign Teen uses a series of clear aligners that gradually straighten the patients teeth, Invisalign Teen is comfortable, affordable and effective. And without brackets and wires.
Until we begin we are working hard on not only Pulling, yanking, wiggling that last tooth out but on Caleb’s dental hygiene so we spent the last 3 weeks working on our brushing skills, flossing and daily use of mouth wash and to be sure we are doing a good job we stopped by his dentist office for a little dental hygiene check- up. In went the purple pill and the results were A+ Caleb and I are doing an outstanding job keeping his teeth pearly white.
There is no better time to begin good dental hygiene habits then right now – so if you are like me and find yourself letting your kids slip off to bed with out brushing or skipping the flossing or use of mouth wash let me encourage you to begin the habit now so when it is time to begin your Invisalign Teen journey your child will be ready to take care of their pearly whites.
Having a hard time motivating your kids – try one or more of these tips:
Use Timers: Kids love games why not make a game of brushing until the oven timer rings.
Flavors - Purchase the flavors your kids love from tooth paste to mouth rinse. Have you seen all the mouth rinse flavors on the dental supply isle at your local variety store?
Use Rewards: Think of a reward that would motivate your kids to brush, floss and rinse twice a day. Such as movie tickets, an Ice Cream gift card, a visit to the pizza parlor, extra screen time, a batch of homemade cookies whatever motivates your kids.
Use Charts: Create a “Tooth Brushing” routine by using charts and rewards. Here are some online resources for charts and reward programs:
Free Printable Behavior Charts:
http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/oralhygienecharts.htm
Chuck E Cheese Reward Charts:
http://www.chuckecheese.com/promotions/pdf/RewardTeeth.pdf
About.com has links to reward charts, brushing tips and dental fun activities:
http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalactivitiesandgames/Dental_Activities_Coloring_Pages_Fun_Facts_Crafts_Games_for_Kids.htm
Check in next month as we continue the Invisalign Teen Journey with my son Caleb.
* I am a member of the Invisalign Teen Mom Advisory Board. My Son is receiving complimentary treatment from Invisalign, but all opinions expressed are my own.
