real kids answer If you could have any flavor of toothpaste, what would it be? 4 mouth-friendly recipe: apple-slice doughnuts 5 the road to healthy smiles
Blue raspberry
6 how do astronauts brush their teeth in space?
Trey H., age 10
7 out-of-this-world oral health 8 unscramble this picture! 10 plaque attack experiment 11 time for healthy teeth 12 the a-maze-ing dentist's office
Chocolate with rainbow sprinkles Lydia C., age 7
14 tooth tracker 15 the fact is . . . 17 chompy cartoons
Marshmallow Quentin S., age 5
18 animal smiles 19 here's what you left behind 20 draw attention to your smile 21 what's your smile power superhero name? 22 smile power! 23 make a superhero mask 2
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Oreo cookie Nora M., age 7
four-word answers
Do snails have teeth?
Yes, on our tongues!
What did the orthodontist say to his patient? What? “Brace yourself!”
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mouth-friendly recipe:
Apple-Slice
DOUGHNUTS Doughnuts are pretty tasty, but they can also be pretty sugary, which can cause cavities. Crisp and sweet with a creamy “frosting,” this version of the breakfast treat is delicious and healthier for you!
HERE’S WHAT YOU need
Food coloring
1 package of softened cream cheese
Your favorite kind of apple
Toppings of your choice
HERE’S HOW TO make them
4
1
2
Have an adult cut an apple into horizontal slices about 3/4” thick, removing the middle part with the seeds.
Divide cream cheese into a few small bowls and add a drop of food coloring to each one to create colorful “frosting.”
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3 Spread cream cheese on each slice of apple.
4 Try adding different toppings like sprinkles, mini dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts and unsweetened, shredded coconut.
The Road to Healthy Smiles When you’re in the car with your parents, you probably spend a lot of time looking out the window. Have you ever noticed that some cars have license plates with words or phrases on them? Here are a few we spotted on our last road trip. Try to figure out what healthy, smile-related phrases they say. DELTA DENTAL
DELTA DENTAL
DELTA DENTAL
SMILE POWER
SMILE POWER
SMILE POWER
DELTA DENTAL
DELTA DENTAL
DELTA DENTAL
SMILE POWER
SMILE POWER
SMILE POWER
DELTA DENTAL
SMILE POWER
Answers (from left to right): Love to brush, Smile, Calcium for you, I ate apples, See your dentist, Drink milk, Floss more
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How Do Astronauts
brush their teeth in space? There’s no gravity, no running water and no sink. How do astronauts manage to clean their teeth in space? Believe it or not, it’s actually a lot like how we brush our teeth!
First, astronauts get their toothbrushes wet just like we do. But their water doesn’t come from a sink – it comes from a sealed bag with a straw on one end. To wet their toothbrushes, astronauts squeeze a blob of water onto the bristles.
I
3
2
4 Astronauts brush the normal way – in circular motions, making sure to get every single tooth, including the back sides and the ones way in the back. Just like us, they brush for about two minutes, two times a day.
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Astronauts squeeze toothpaste onto the brush just like they would on Earth. They can’t just set the toothpaste on the counter when they’re done. Because there’s no gravity, the tube would just float right up! Instead, the toothpaste has to be stuck down with Velcro or a magnet.
When they’re done, astronauts can’t spit out the extra toothpaste – it would just float around in the air. Instead, they swallow it. We don’t recommend that you swallow your toothpaste, though. Too much fluoride, a substance in most toothpastes that helps keep your teeth strong, can leave discolored marks on kids’ developing teeth. If you’re not an astronaut, you should probably just spit!
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Answers: Mouthguard near bottom of spaceship, milk in spaceship, apple in stars, toothbrush in astronaut’s hand, floss on astronaut’s belt, toothpaste in astronaut’s hand, dental explorer in astronaut’s uniform, dental mirror in astronaut’s uniform, mouthwash in astronaut’s uniform, carrot in stars
Can you find the 10 out-of-this-world oral health items in this picture? space differently than we do on Earth, but they still take care of their teeth and eat healthy foods!
out-of-this-world oral health Astronauts do some things in
unscramble
this picture!
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Oh, no! This photo is all mixed up. Cut out the squares below, then reassemble them in the correct spots on the next page.
C5
F2
E4
B3
D4
B2
B1
E5
C1
F4
D1
E3
A5
D5
A2
F3
C4
A3
E1
A1
C3
A4
F5
D3
D2
F1
C2
B5
E2
B4
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Mouthguards help keep your mouth safe when you play sports.
1
They protect your teeth, lips and cheeks from getting cut or injured when you fall or come into contact with other players or sports equipment. You should wear mouthguards for sports like football, basketball, volleyball, skateboarding, gymnastics, hockey and more!
2
3
4
5
A B C D E F for kids
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plaque attack
experiment
When you brush your teeth, one of the goals is to get rid of the plaque that sticks to teeth. Plaque is a sticky paste made from bacteria. The bacteria use sugar from foods as a form of energy. As the bacteria eat the sugar, it makes acid. Acid will hurt your tooth enamel, making holes called "cavities" in it. With this experiment, you can see how plaque “grows” if sugar and other foods aren’t removed from teeth by brushing and flossing. Ask a grown-up to help with this experiment.
What you'll need 2 clear plastic drinking cups, 12-16 oz. in size
2 packets of yeast
Candy thermometer
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 spoons for mixing
2 cups of warm water
1 marker
T AS YE
YE
1/ 4
1/ 2
CU
P
3/4
1C
T AS
UP
How to do it
? 1 Pour a cup of warm water into each plastic cup. Warm water should be from 105° F to 110° F. You can use a candy thermometer to test the water.
2 Add a packet of yeast to each cup. Let it sit for about a minute, then stir the yeast into the water until fully dissolved. Be sure to use a separate spoon for each cup!
3 Add a tablespoon of sugar to one of the cups and stir it well. Make a mark on the outside of each cup to show the level of the liquid inside.
What do you think will happen? Write your prediction below, and see if you’re right!
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4 Watch the cups to see what happens! It may take up to 30 minutes to get the full effect, so you may want to set a timer and check the cups later.
time for healthy teeth You may not realize it, but you take care of your mouth from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Draw hour hands and minute hands on the clocks below to show what time you do each healthy activity.
Brush your teeth before school.
Have milk with your lunch.
Wear a mouthguard at practice.
Eat a healthy snack.
Eat veggies at dinner.
Floss your teeth.
Have fruit and eggs at breakfast.
Brush your teeth before bed.
Visit the dentist after school.
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the a-maze-ing dentist’s office
The tool used to suck the water and spit from your mouth is called a “saliva ejector.”
Board of Dentistry John Doe, DDS, MD
It takes up to eight years of school to become a dentist.
A dentist’s office can sometimes seem like a maze! Can you find your way from the waiting room to the dentist’s chair?
Start
Most pirates didn’t really use treasure chests.
Finish People who live in Connecticut visit the dentist most often.1
The first dental chair was invented in 1790 by Boston dentist Josiah Flagg.
Many kids have fluoride applied at dental visits. Fluoride helps your teeth stay strong and healthy.
1. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey
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tooth tracker Keep track of the teeth you’ve lost by coloring each one you’ve given to the Tooth Fairy. You also can write down when and where you lost your tooth. Be sure to store the Tooth Tracker somewhere safe so you can color the next tooth you lose! 1 Central Incisor
2 Lateral Incisor
3 Canine (Cuspid)
4 First Molar
Lost tooth details:
Lost tooth details:
2
1
1
2
3
3
4
4
Upper
5
5
Lost tooth details:
Lost tooth details:
5
5
Lower 4
4 3
3 2
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5 Second Molar
1
1
2
Central and lateral incisors
Canines or cuspids
are used to help you take your first bites of food. They’re usually the first ones you get and the first ones you lose, starting around age 6.
are your sharpest teeth. They help you rip and tear food apart. You’ll probably lose them around age 11 or 12.
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Molars help grind food down. You may lose your first molars around age 10 or 11 and your second molars between ages 10 and 12.
the FACT is . . . Do you know the difference between facts and myths?
fact
myth
vs.
A fact is information that is definitely true. If you were writing facts about yourself, you might write “I go to school” or “I ate lunch today.” Now, how about a myth?
A myth is something that some people think is true but is actually false. Here’s a good myth: Brown cows make chocolate milk. It sounds like it could be true, but the fact is, brown cows still make plain milk. The flavoring is added later!
You’ve probably heard a lot about how to keep your teeth and mouth healthy and clean. Can you tell the difference between fact and myth? Circle F or M for each one, then check your answers on the next page.
F
M
Everyone should floss at least once every day.
F
M
You should scrub your teeth really hard.
F
M
Mouthguards are only important for football.
F
M
Brush your teeth once a day.
F
M
Milk is good for your teeth.
F
M
You should visit the dentist regularly for checkups.
Check out the next page to see how you did!
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the FACT is . . . facts Floss at least once every day.
You should scrub your teeth really hard.
Flossing once a day cleans the tiny spaces between your teeth where it’s hard for a toothbrush to reach.
The fact is, scrubbing too hard can damage your teeth and gums. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and be gentle with your teeth and gums.
Milk is good for your teeth.
Mouthguards are only important for football.
Milk contains calcium, a nutrient that helps keep your teeth and bones strong! Cheese, yogurt and broccoli are also good sources of calcium.
Visit the dentist regularly for checkups. Visiting the dentist at least once a year helps keep your teeth clean and cavity-free. And you may even get to pick out a prize when you’re done!
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myths
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The fact is, mouthguards help protect your teeth, gums and lips when you play any sport where you could injure your mouth. That includes basketball, soccer, hockey and more.
Brush your teeth once a day. The fact is, brushing twice a day for two minutes each time is the best way to keep your mouth clean and healthy. In the morning after breakfast and at night before bed are good times to brush.
Chompy Cartoons With just a few folds of paper, you can make a picture that has a surprise inside!
What you need 8.5x11 piece of paper
Markers or crayons
Your imagination!
How to do it 1
2
3
4
Now, draw a circle that goes across the folded parts. This will be the face.
Draw eyes and a nose on the top half of the paper.
5
6
7
Next, open the paper and draw a mouth on the blank part of paper between the top and bottom parts of the face you drew. You can make a scary mouth, a funny mouth or a happy mouth – whatever you feel like drawing! Don’t forget to connect the edges of the face.
Color your drawing however you like.
Open and close the paper at the folds to reveal your drawing’s mouth. Try it with a fish, bear, lion, bird or anything else you like to draw.
Fold a piece of paper in half horizontally, leaving the folded edge closest to you.
Take the top, long edge of the paper and fold it down to meet the folded edge.
animal smiles Animal teeth come in many different shapes and sizes. While some animals use their teeth to mash down grass, others use them to tear apart meat. Can you tell what the teeth below might be used for?
Match each tooth with the animal it belongs to – and learn some fun facts about their chompers along the way!
Cats mostly use their front teeth for grooming.
A shark can lose 30,000 teeth in its lifetime. The “horn” on top of a narwhal’s head is really a big tooth.
Cows use their teeth to chew grass. They chew about 40 times per minute.
The longest T. rex tooth ever found is a foot long, which is a little longer than this page!
Answers (from top to bottom): Shark, Cat, T. rex, Narwhal, Cow
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here’s what you
left behind
Pretend the little girl hasn't brushed. Draw all the gross germs and gunk on her teeth. Then color in the rest of the picture. If you don’t brush your teeth very well, you can leave all kinds of gross stuff behind in your mouth such as: Plaque, which is soft, sticky stuff that can harden into tartar, lets bacteria stick to teeth and causes cavities.
Bacteria that live in plaque make acid and cause cavities. Food pieces, which help plaque grow and can cause bad breath.
Halitosis, another name for bad breath. Brushing your teeth can keep your breath from getting smelly!
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attention to your smile Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing once every day are the best ways to keep your mouth healthy. Cleaning your teeth in the morning and at night gets rid of germs, bacteria, plaque and bits of food that have gotten stuck in your teeth throughout the day. It also helps keep your breath fresh. If you don’t brush your teeth, they may look clean on the surface, but all of those gross things are still hiding where you can’t see them.
Give this girl a healthy smile by drawing your best grin.
what’s your smile power
Superhero
name?
Did you know you’re a smile superhero? You fight plaque and tartar every day, using your toothbrush and floss. You even have a superhero name! To find out what it is, look at the chart below. To uncover the first part of your secret identity, find the word next to the month you were born. For the second half, find the word that goes with the first letter of your last name.
BIRTH MONTH
FIRST LETTER OF LAST NAME
January – Doctor
A – Bicuspid
N – Smile
February – Wonder
B – Palate
O – Gingiva
March – Super
C – Mouthguard
P – Cuspid
April – Mega
D – Wisdom
Q – Mandible
May – Amazing
E – Calcium
R - Examinator
June – Captain
F – Orthodontia
S – Enamel
July – Astounding
G – Brusher
T – Flosser
August – Incredible
H – Saliva
U – Dentist
September – Professor
I – X-ray
V – Dentin
October – Phantom
J – Swisher
W – Maxilla
November – Ultra
K – Cementum
X – Bite
December – Commander
L – Hygienist
Y – Fluoride
M – Molar
Z – Incisor
For example, if your birthday was June 2, and your last name is Smith, your secret superhero name would be
Captain Enamel!
My smile power name is:
smile power! You may not realize it, but your mouth gives you super powers.
Strong, healthy teeth and gums give you the powers of Excellent Eating, Super Singing, Terrific Talking and Wonderful Whistling! That’s pretty amazing – and you definitely don’t want to lose any of those cool powers. Here’s what you need to do to make sure you keep your Super Smile.
Brush your teeth
Use toothpaste with fluoride.
twice a day for two minutes each time.
Eat healthy foods. Floss your Teeth every day.
Stay away from
Sugary snacks. Wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth during sports games and practices.
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Visit the dentist.
make a
Superhero 1
Use the dotted lines as a guide to cut out your Smile Power mask. (You may need some help from an adult.)
2
Then, decorate the mask however you want. Get creative! You can use markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, gems and more.
mask
3
When you’re done decorating, use a hole punch to create holes on each end of the mask, then tie string through each end so you can wear it to conceal your true identity.
Now you’re ready to fight plaque, tartar and other tooth bad guys!
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Braden B., age 11
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