February 2026 Issue of The Whistler

February is Children’s Dental Health Month!

🦷 Little Teeth, Big Deal! (Ages 0–5)

🪥 Start early (earlier than most parents think)

• Clean gums with a soft cloth even before teeth come in
• Brush as soon as the first tooth appears
• Use a soft, child-sized toothbrush

🧴 Toothpaste matters

• Under age 3: a smear of fluoride toothpaste (grain of rice size)
• Ages 3–5: a pea-sized amount
• Parents should brush or closely supervise—kids don’t have the skill yet

🕒 Brush twice a day

• Morning and before bed is most important
• Avoid rinsing with lots of water after brushing—let fluoride stay on the teeth

🍼 Watch the drinks

• Water is best between meals
• Avoid juice, soda, and sweet drinks (even “natural” ones)
• Never put a child to bed with a bottle containing milk or juice

🍎 Snack smart

• Limit sticky and sugary snacks
• Choose cheese, yogurt, fruits, veggies
• It’s better to have sweets with meals than frequent snacking

🦷 First dental visit by age 1

• Or within 6 months of the first tooth
• Early visits build comfort, catch issues early, and teach parents prevention

😁 Healthy habits = healthy smiles

• Thumb sucking and pacifiers are okay early on, but talk to a dentist if it continues past age 3–4
• Protect little teeth—they guide speech, chewing, and adult tooth placement

Important Dates

February 16th – Classrooms (NO SCHOOL) and Office Closed

Resources

If you know of families or friends who are interested in Head Start programs have them apply here, Reach-Up is always accepting applications for the program year!