Healthy Teeth Lessons & Activities for Preschoolers

Solid oral hygiene habits start at an early age. Make the preschool dental health theme practical and entertaining through hands-on activities, while teaching the preschoolers all about how to care for their teeth. Through a variety of tooth-related activities, preschool students build dental care skills that will keep their smiles bright and healthy well into adulthood.

Dental-themed crafts teach kids about healthy teeth with a creative twist. A collage of pictures showing things that are healthy for teeth is one artistic option. Examples of pictures for the collage include fruits, vegetables, toothbrushes and mouthwash. Painted self-portraits with bright white teeth as the focal point add a dental theme to the room. For a more abstract connection to healthy teeth, let the students paint pictures using toothbrushes or floss instead of paintbrushes.

Preschoolers are just starting to brush their own teeth, so extra practice helps young kids learn how to take care of their teeth properly. A large mouth model and toothbrush allows kids to practice the proper brushing and flossing techniques. Ask a local dentist if you can get toothbrushes donated for the students so they can practice on their own teeth. A brushing and flossing chart encourages kids to continue the routine at home. A simple grid with the days of the week works well for this purpose.

Classroom games about teeth add to the dental health theme. A sorting game reinforces the activities that are healthy for teeth. Include pictures of both healthy and unhealthy things for teeth. The students sort the pictures into piles. A dental theme in the dramatic play center is another way to teach healthy teeth habits. A chair that reclines works well as a makeshift dentist's chair. The kids can take turns playing the dentist in the pretend dentist's office.

A trip to a dentist's office gives preschool students a close up look at how preventative care keeps teeth healthy. By preschool, many kids have already been to the dentist, but a field trip can make the office less scary for those who haven't had a checkup yet. The field trip might include a tour of the office, an explanation of the dental equipment and demonstrations about proper brushing and flossing. If you can't take the preschoolers to a dentist office, bring the dentist to the kids. A dentist or dental hygienist is a suitable guest speaker during a dental health unit in preschool.