One of the crucial things is to explain to kids the importance of oral hygiene. However, visiting a dentist, even in an early period of life, is sometimes unavoidable. Therefore, you should find a way to explain to your child what to expect in such a situation.
Luckily, you can use a few excellent dental health books for kids to make the process easier and less stressful. The only thing to do is to pick out the best story, depending on the kid’s age. Most of these books show what happens in the waiting room and dental office, decreasing panic.
Dental health books for kids Dental health books for kids |
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| Book name | Author | Book type | Publication date |
| Brush, Brush, Brush | Alicia Padron | Board book | 2010 |
| Brush your teeth, Max and Millie | Felicity Brooks and Desideria Guicciardini | Board book | 2011 |
| The tooth book | Dr. Seuss and Joe Mathieu | Board book | 2003 |
| We’re going to the dentist: Going for a check-up | Campbell Books and Marion Cocklico | Board book | 2019 |
| Celebrate! Going to the dentist | Sophia Day | Board book | 2017 |
| Sesame street, ready, set, brush | Che Rudko | Pop-up book | 2017 |
| Brush your teeth, please | Jean Pidgeon | Pop-up book | 2013 |
| Just going to the dentist | Mercer Mayer | Early picture book | 2001 |
| The Berenstain Bears visit the dentist | Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain | Early picture book | 1981 |
| Sugar bugs | Erica and Sam Weisz | Early picture book | 2015 |
| Melvin, the magnificent molar | Julia Cook, Laura Jana M.D., Allison Valentine | Picture book | 2010 |
| Open wide: Tooth school inside | Laurie Keller | Picture book | 2003 |
| How to catch the Tooth Fairy | Adam Wallace | Picture book | 2016 |
| The tooth book: A guide to healthy teeth and gums | Edward Miller | Picture book | 2009 |
| The night before the dentist | Natasha Wing and Amy Wummer | Picture book | 2021 |
| Daniel goes to the dentist | Alexandra Cassel Schwartz and Jason Fruchter | Picture book | 2019 |
| Curious George visits the dentist | H. A. Rey | Sticker book | 2015 |
| Why should I brush my teeth? | Katie Daynes | Illustrated book | 2020 |
| Sugarbug doug: All about cavities, plaque, and teeth | Dr. Ben Magleby | Illustrated book | 2009 |
| The last loose tooth | Tyler Clark Burke | Illustrated book | 2020 |
Dental Health Books for Kids
Most people are afraid of the dentist, and it is time to change that. These medics take care of your teeth and give you a beautiful, bright smile full of regular white teeth.
Therefore, you should teach your kids why it is good to take care of dental hygiene from a young age and visit the dentist regularly. The quickest way for children to accept good habits is through books.
Board books
This book type with pages made of thick cardboard is dedicated to toddlers. Their primary purpose is to help kids develop motor skills without ripping pages. You can use one listed to start dental lectures from the very beginning.
Brush, Brush, Brush – Your kid should believe Alicia that it is never too early to think about their teeth. This book teaches children how to keep their teeth healthy while enjoying the story and playtime.
Brush your teeth, Max and Millie – Felicity wrote this book, and Desideria illustrated it in the best possible way. A result is a story about Millie, who hates teeth brushing, and her friend Max who tries to find a way to explain why dental cleaning is so vital for kids.
The tooth book – When Dr. Seuss writes and Joe illustrates, you can expect a great board book for your little one. They describe what teeth can do and ways to keep them healthy and beautiful.
We’re going to the dentist: Going for a check-up – This beautifully designed novelty book helps kids to overcome fear before going to the dentist for the first time. Besides, it includes practical tips for parents on how to help their children with this big step.
Celebrate! Going to the dentist – Authors Sophia and Megan try to help kids who are afraid of dentists, while Stephanie’s illustrations show them why it is good to have healthy teeth.
Pop-up books
Pop-up books have three-dimensional pages that can pop up while turning the pages. You can recognize a few types, including:
- Movable books
- Flaps
- Pop-ups
- Pop-outs
- Tunnel books
- Transformations
- Volvelles
- Pull-downs
- Pull-tabs
They help children understand the text by visualizing the setting, characters, and plot. The best ones with the topic of dental hygiene are the following:
Sesame street, ready, set, brush – The author described cutie monsters from Sesame Street and their way to show your kid how effortless it is to care for teeth.
Brush your teeth, please – Illustrator Jean did an excellent job when creating this lovely pop-up book about proper dental hygiene. Let your kid enjoy a cute animal world and learn to keep their teeth clean by imitating gleeful chimps, lions, and sharks.
Early picture books
Early picture books are specially designed for children aged 3 to 5 years. They contain illustrations that support the primary story and help kids learn newer things, including reading. The best ones with the topic related to teeth and dentists are:
Just going to the dentist – Mercer Mayer is an author and illustrator who wrote about Little Critter going for a check-up at the dentist. Reading this book to your kid is an excellent way to allay their fears about attending the dental office.
The Berenstain Bears visit the dentist – Stan and Jan Berenstain created a perfect story about Berenstain Bears. They also added about 50 bonus stickers to make the first visit to the dentist as painless as possible.
Sugar bugs – Erica and Sam have chosen an excellent way to show children why their favorite snacks and sweets harm their teeth and how to prevent that issue.
Picture books
These lovely books, created for children, combine written words and pictures to convey the appropriate message.
They are meant for kids who have just started to read independently and use illustrations to contextualize text. You can find numerous picture books describing the first visit to the dentist and every detail about dental hygiene.
Melvin, the magnificent molar – Julia, Laura, and Allison present to you the story of the lovable tooth, Melvin, that encourages kids to brush their teeth in a unique and fun way.
Open Wide: Tooth school inside – Laurie wrote and illustrated a book worth reading. It describes a tooth school where your child can learn everything about brushing and flossing teeth.
How to catch the Tooth Fairy – Kids ages 4 to 10 enjoy reading Adam’s lovely book, followed by Andy’s vivid illustrations. It helps them learn everything about teeth, starting with the first tooth loss.
The tooth book: A guide to healthy teeth and gums – Edward’s book teaches children how fun caring for their teeth can be. It is packed with helpful advice and one of the best books on this topic.
The night before the dentist – Buy your child this book, read it together, and then brush your teeth before visiting the dentist for the first time. The boy with four lost teeth is an excellent example of what to do for a super bright smile.
Daniel goes to the dentist – Daniel Tiger is nervous about the dentist and all the horrible instruments in their office. However, this brave boy will encourage your child to make this crucial step to the dentist’s chair.
Sticker books
A sticker album includes a book and collectible stickers related to a specific topic. In this case, you should encourage your child to collect and stick pictures related to teeth preservation, the importance of their health, and the crucial dentist’s role in the process. A few are really fantastic, including:
Curious George visits the dentist – The author describes George, who suffers from toothache after biting a wax apple. He skillfully describes how going to the dentist is not a nightmare.
Illustrated books
Unlike picture books with combined text and illustration, illustrated books are focused on words. In this case, pictures have a decorative function and are placed separately as less relevant relating to the text. These books can help your elder kids to learn everything about teeth and the importance of dental hygiene.
Why should I brush my teeth? – This book is part of a set of 24 entertaining books that give children answers to important life questions. Your kid will happily look for solutions while opening more than 30 flaps.
Sugarbug doug: All about cavities, plaque, and teeth – Dr. Ben Magleby created a magnificent book about sugar bugs trying to destroy kids’ fresh breath and healthy teeth. This dentist advises children on saving healthy teeth and keeping them from tooth decay and gum diseases.
The last loose tooth – The author explains the whole situation with teeth through a baby tooth’s feelings after leaving its human host. It offers a perfect perspective for a child with a loose tooth.
Summary
You should start teaching your kid about dental care from an early age. As expected, quality books can help you explain what to expect in a dentist’s office. That can significantly reduce kids’ stress and the discomfort most people feel when going to check their teeth.