Resources establish healthy routines for children

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Feb. 19, 2020 - PRLog -- Thousands of children in West Virginia have tooth decay before they attend their first day in kindergarten. This is something parents and caregivers can prevent with good oral health habits.

That's why the Cabell County Family Resource Network (Cabell County FRN) (http://www.cabellfrn.org) and its partners are promoting tips and resources this February during National Children's Dental Health Month.

The Brush, Book, Bed campaign (https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Oral-Health/Pages/Brush-Book-Bed.aspx), a program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx), has a simple and clear message for parents and caregivers:

• Each night, help your children to brush their teeth.
• Read a favorite book (or two)!
• Get to bed at a regular time each night.

Having a predictable nighttime routine will help children understand and learn to expect what comes next. Additionally, routines may ease the stress that some families experience at nighttime. The campaign offers a thorough approach to successful, tested tips and resources here (https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-...).

Three years ago, in February 2017, The Cabell County FRN launched its Resources for Healthy Teeth Toolkit (http://bit.ly/kidsdentalhealthguide_download), and since then, thousands of children's smiles across the region have gotten brighter.

The information in the Toolkit (http://bit.ly/kidsdentalhealthguide_download) is compiled to make it easy to access a variety of different materials to help parents and programs promote good oral health and help children have healthy teeth and smiles for life.

Examples of included local, state, regional and national resources are the following:

• National children's dental health campaign
• Tips for healthy teeth for parents and caregivers
• Finding a dentist close to you
• Lessons to use with students in the classroom and beyond
• Fun activities for children
• Local, state, regional and national resources

This project is done in collaboration with the Community and School Oral Health Team at Marshall University School of Medicine (https://livewell.marshall.edu/OralHealth/), which applauds the efforts of the Cabell County FRN as it works to empower families in our local communities. The Cabell County FRN recognizes that families cannot be healthy unless they have the proper knowledge and tools on how to care and maintain healthy teeth and mouths.

To view the most up-to-date listings and for more information, visit

http://bit.ly/kidsdentalhealthguide_download or www.cabellfrn.org.

To access the full list of resources and other Kids' Dental Health Month information, view the Electronic Press Kit at http://bit.ly/kidsdentalhealth_EPK2020.