Children’s Books about Teeth Cleaning

Cleaning your teeth before bed is as important as reading your books before bed. The ‘bathroom art’ in the canvas painting picture below is PudStar’s ‘Princess with Cavities’ painting from back in 2012 (it is still in pride of place in the bathroom in 2019!). Thanks to Aunty Amy, PudStar is rather into all things teeth but she’s also had her fair share of cavities…don’t even go there.

Thank you Dr Amy Daley for sharing some information about teeth cleaning so that you don’t end up with a prince or princess with cavities…

Dr Amy Daley’s Top 5 Tips for Teeth Cleaning

Tooth brushing time can be one of the most challenging parts of the daily routine.  It’s tempting sometimes to just give up.  But sadly, over half of Australian children now have tooth decay and as well as eating a tooth friendly diet, your twice daily brushing routine is the best thing that you can do to help prevent tooth decay.  In general, baby teeth are present from around six months to very early teens, and these baby teeth are just as at risk of decay as adult teeth. Sadly this decay can seriously affect the development of the child’s adult teeth.  By establishing a regular, healthy brushing routine early you can set the stage for a healthy mouth for life.

1. Begin the brushing routine at home as soon as your child’s first tooth erupts.  There are age specific toothbrushes and toothpastes available for any age, or if unsure, ask your dentist.
2. You can brush the child’s teeth, or if they are confident and want to try, let them brush.  I do always recommend however that an adult should continue to brush the child’s teeth once a day until about age 7.
3. Try to make brushing as fun as possible.  Motorised toothbrushes, a favourite song (this works wonders!), pulling lion or tiger faces, all these things can help make brushing time more interesting.  Also try to set a timer (or music) to go for two minutes brushing time.  It feels like forever!
4. Your child will learn from what you do.  It’s great to brush at the same time as them so that they can mimic you.  Or have them brush the teeth of their toys or dolls, read some of the great books on tooth brushing, or even let them try brushing yours.
5. Most importantly parents – don’t be discouraged and don’t give up.  Winning the sometimes nightly tooth cleaning battle has long term ramifications which will set your child up in a healthy routine, and healthy teeth, for life.

Children’s Books about Teeth Cleaning

Click on title links or cover images to purchase.

‘Ginger McFlea Will Not Clean Her Teeth’

This is the third in a a fabulous little series which started with ‘Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair’. In this one Ginger McFlea will do anything to not clean her teeth….even at the risk of looking something like PudStar’s ‘Princess with Cavities’. I’ve regularly pulled out one of the beautifully rhyming lines from this book as I stand in the bathroom coaxing Pud to clean her teeth…it is one of those book which stick in your head and on a topic such as this that’s a bonus!

‘Do Not Lick This Book’ is not specifically about teeth cleaning but is more generally about microbe and has a wonderful, wonderful double page spread with a close up of a tooth surface and a look at the germs on teeth digging cavities. It’s perfect for an early childhood audience.

‘Why do I Brush My Teeth?’  Great non fiction title which takes children through the ‘whys’ of tooth brushing

The non fiction series below is great. Each one builds upon the last to give a complete look at oral hygiene.

‘All About Teeth’

‘Snacks for Healthy Teeth’

‘Brushing Teeth’

‘Flossing Teeth’

‘I Don’t Want to Clean My Teeth’

‘The Missing Tooth’ (Billie B Brown Series : Book 19)

‘Maisy, Charley And The Wobbly Tooth’

‘The Tooth Book’

‘My First Visit to the Dentist’

For more on preparing your child for a trip to the dentist see Dr Amy Daley’s tips here.