Tools of the Trade
Learn how two two trusty tools help keep kids' teeth healthy.
It takes two tools to keep children’s smiles healthy for a lifetime: a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Toothbrush:
- Look for children’s toothbrushes that have small heads and soft bristles. Get children involved by letting them choose the color or pattern.
 - Keep germs away by rinsing toothbrushes after brushing. Stand them up so they can air dry.
 - Change children’s toothbrushes about every three months. If the bristles are no longer straight and firm, or if children have been sick, change the toothbrush right away.
 
Toothpaste:
- Help children learn to use the right amount of toothpaste by putting it on their toothbrushes. Children under age two need just a smear. Children ages two to five need a pea-size amount of toothpaste.
 
								
									
							Lessening Children’s Fear of Needles
Preparing, distracting, and comforting your child can go a long way in helping them get through these moments.
								
									
							To Like or Not to Like
Like most children, Cookie Monster’s niece is a little… choosy. Check out his strategy for helping her try a new food!
								
									
							Go To Sleep, Elmo!
Handling a middle-of-the-night monster moment.
								
									
							Cookie Monster’s Beach Day
When children are in the hospital, their imagination can become a valuable tool in soothing themselves.
								
									
							Listen, Feel, and See with Elmo
When children are in the hospital, this mindfulness game can help them soothe themselves.
								
									
							Sleep Struggles... and Successes
								
									
							Today, Tonight, and Tomorrow
It takes a special kind of patience to handle children’s middle-of-the-night wakeups! Read about how a Monster-Fairy family manages it.
