Henry Warren is an innovator in the field of education and a dad of three. His son, according to Henry, is dreadful at brushing teeth. And so, when the child lost his tooth, Henry put his creativity to good use by penning down his son a letter. However, the letter is not a heartfelt dad-to son kind of letter – it is a letter from Barry The Tooth Fairy, commenting on the ‘condition’ of the tooth that was just turned in!
The letter from the tooth fairy
Henry shared this interesting letter on Twitter.
The funniest thing about the letter is its seriousness! It is written in a very formal, businesslike tone, expressing the ‘displeasure’ of the said tooth fairy. Barry T. Tooth Fairy (creative!) acknowledges the receipt of the tooth. The letter goes on to explain why there has been a delay in the payment that particular time!
Apparently, Tooth Fairies expect normal wear and tear of the tooth, based on the usage. However, in this particular tooth, it was more than expected. Not only was it not properly maintained, but it also had trace amounts of Fanta and cereal that were not cleaned properly after consumption. And because of this, a committee had to analyse the tooth, causing a delay in the payment!
The letter, accompanied by a pound, warns the child about taking care of his teeth. Barry explains that if dental hygiene was to be ignored, this would be the last transaction.
“Mr Warren we will accept the tooth on this occasion but we need your assurances that the condition of your next tooth will be significantly better, or we will withhold payment.”
Apparently, the letter did have an effect and Henry tweeted another picture of his son, apparently after a good session of brushing teeth!
Dental hygiene in children
Image source: iStock
According to a report, 50% of pre-schoolers in Singapore suffer from tooth decay. Even though the teeth may fall off, it just highlights that there is a problem in the way dental hygiene is practised in children. And it is difficult to get the child to brush on his own, something that required quite some time and patience.
The causes of tooth decay in children are as follows.
- Bottle. If the child has a habit of going to sleep with a bottle in his mouth, the milk or the formula pools around the teeth. This may lead to tooth decay in the long run.
- Formula milk. Studies indicate that formula milk has more sugar in it than fresh milk or breastmilk. And so, this may lead to cavities.
- Sweets. Naturally sweet things like fruits are fine as long as they are consumed in the ‘5 a day’ quantity. Even occasional chocolates are fine. However, regular consumption of candy is not good, especially the sticky variety that is hard to brush off.
- Improper brushing habits. Brushing prevents cavities in teeth. However, improper and ineffective brushing techniques may lead to food particles still remaining between teeth, causing damage to the enamel.
The correct way to brush teeth
Here is a video about proper brushing technique.
Mums, dental hygiene is not to be ignored in children. Start early, use the right brush and toothpaste, and make the activity a fun thing. And if your child doesn’t, contact Henry for a letter from Barry T. Tooth Fairy!
(Image source: Twitter)
Also, read Order of baby teeth appearance: All that you need to know
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