“International Talk Like a Pirate Day” is a wholesome tradition that allows children both young and old to embrace their inner pirates and adopt pirate-inspired language, personas, and behaviors. But to your child, taking care of their teeth might not be as thrilling as a pirate’s life on the high seas, but it’s just as important for them to keep their pearly whites in shipshape condition, in order to prevent nasty oral issues from threatening their well-being. Keep reading below to learn more about why pirates aren’t known for having stellar smiles, along with some helpful dental tips from your pediatric dentist.
Pirates Didn’t Have Healthy Teeth; Here’s Why
If you and your little one are both fans of pirates, it’s only fair to warn you that their life sailing the seven seas wasn’t always as glamorous or adventurous as Captain Jack Sparrow made it seem—mainly due to dental issues! Pirates were notorious for having unhealthy, and often unattractive, teeth for a variety of reasons. One serious threat was scurvy, which is a disease that’s caused by not consuming enough vitamin C and can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms like bleeding and swollen gums.
Pirates also didn’t have access to regular dental care while plundering and questing, which is often the reason for many of them having missing teeth! Any time a pirate had a tooth problem, the only real solution they could come up with to stop the pain was to simply have one of their crewmates pull the tooth out! Additionally, it’s also worth mentioning that the alcohol consumed by pirates, like rum, did no favors for their teeth due to the high amount of sugar.
Tips for Helping Your Young Buccaneer’s Smile
Here are some tips to help you keep your child’s teeth in great shape—that way, they’ll be talking and playing like a pirate without having all of the dental problems of one:
- Encourage your child to brush twice a day and floss daily—and if they have braces, their teeth need to be brushed after each meal. This will greatly mitigate the formation of cavities, one of the biggest threats to your kiddo’s smile.
- Provide your child with a refillable water bottle and be sure they’re using it and drinking plenty of water; it encourages the flow of saliva within the mouth, which is the body’s first line of defense against tooth decay.
- Stock your kitchen with plenty of healthy snack options and prepare your child well-balanced meals consisting of plenty of fruits and veggies, proteins, low-fat dairy products, and more. You have the luxury of not living on the high seas, so take advantage of having access to a variety of healthy options!
- Take your child to the dentist for routine preventive dental care, ideally twice every year. No matter how good their at-home habits are, these visits ensure that nothing problematic is allowed to develop.
About the Practice
Our talented team here at Kids’ Smiles On Lincoln is excited to provide families in Worcester, MA with an exceptional level of compassionate care! If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to arrange a visit for your child, feel free to contact our team online or over the phone for additional assistance. Telephone: (508) 506-8859.