Nursery and school visits are great places to raise awareness. Childcare providers play a huge role in supporting early years oral health and building healthy eating habits, so at Bow Lane Dental we join forces with them to make sure that kids’ smiles are healthy and sparkling!
Shining and healthy smiles for the little ones
Our nursery and school visits started back in 2001. We started mainly in local groups, nurseries and schools within walking distance of the practice. However, over the years, we've seen the impact these visits have on the kids, parents and community, so we're slowly expanding to other areas needed in London.The entire clinical team have been involved, and they absolutely love it! They enjoy seeing the kids excited and ready to learn, whilst at the same time it gives them an opportunity to give back and make a real difference.
‘Being in a learning environment, kids are eager to learn, so we’re presented with a great opportunity to teach them healthy eating habits and tame the fear of the dentist that some pick up as they get older’ says James, owner of Bow Lane.
Learning by having fun
Kids are most likely to remember what they learned by playing, so during our visits we make sure we create an interactive and fun environment. Through games, we show them how to brush their teeth, which foods are good and which aren’t so good for them, and of course what to expect at their first visit to the dentist.
‘I usually take an extra pair of gloves with me to make balloons and draw faces on them - it never fails, they love it and even the shyest of the class come over to play and feel involved’ says Kate, one of our nurses.
Positive early experiences can lead to long-term positive associations with the dentist, and can even help with potential anxiety even as adults.Children are open to learn and at this stage they haven’t picked up the bad eating habits or fear of the dentist that some adults pick up as they get older, so we take these visits as the biggest chance to make a change.Good oral hygiene, regular dental visits, and a balanced diet are the basis for a healthy toddler’s mouth.If you work with a school or nursery or know someone who could benefit from these visits in London and would like a visit by the Bow Lane team get in touch with us on 020 7236 3600 or send us an email at reception@bowlanedental.com
Resources
Until we see each other, we’ve gathered some fun and useful resources that will encourage children to keep their teeth sparkly white and healthy:
Nutrition tips for kids Dental Hygiene tips for kids – All the key info you need. Colouring pages – Teach kids how to brush their teeth with this colouring prints Brush your teeth song – Kids will absolutely love this song and will motivate them to maintain this very important habit in their daily routine.
