Easter will be celebrated on April 12 this year. It’s a magical and memorable time for small children as they wake up to Easter baskets overflowing with goodies and hunt for Easter eggs. Unfortunately, marshmallow chicks, chocolates, caramel eggs and gummy-shaped bunnies can inflict serious damage on young children’s teeth. Below are five phenomenal alternatives to consider when assembling your child’s Easter basket this month.
1. Art supplies – Most children love to receive sidewalk chalk, coloring books and crayons in their Easter baskets. These options are great for sparking creativity in your young child and for reducing the amount of decay-causing sugar for your little one.
2. Bath time fun – There are many fun bubble bath-related items that can help an Easter basket clean up nicely. Try glitter slimes soaps, washable bath paints and crayons, color-changing tablets and boats. With all of the new bath accessories, it’ll be easy to convince your little one to hop in the tub, and they’ll never miss the sugary sweets.
3. Bubbles – What’s an Easter basket without bubbles? Nowadays there are colored bubbles, scented bubbles and wands of every shape and size to enhance their bubble-blowing experience. Your dentist will not approve of bubble gum – but they’ll definitely stand behind a basket filled with beautiful bubbles.
4. Toys – It’s always a safe bet to give your children a few new toys for Easter. Some traditional favorites are jump ropes, frisbees and kites. If your child is really young, stuffed animals, dolls, cars or blocks will do the trick.
5. Tooth brushing essentials – Even if you choose to fill your children’s baskets with some of the items above, there is a solid chance your little ones will still end up enjoying candy and sweets during the week of Easter. Combat this common situation by stuffing some colorful, fun new toothbrushes into their Easter baskets. You can find battery-operated ones that play music or light up and even add some flavored dental floss and toothpaste in for good measure. The more creative and entertaining you make brushing, the better.
The First Things First Cochise Region hopes you and your family enjoy this Easter holiday. We also want to remind you that your baby should see a dentist by their first birthday or when their first tooth breaks the surface. Regular dental visits for your children create long-lasting positive oral health habits that you can certainly smile about for years to come.
For more information about creating healthy dental routines, including videos and activities for children, visit Teeth.FirstThingsFirst.org.
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