Storytime With Dr. Ansley

The Mystery of the Missing Toothbrush

Emma was four years old and loved princesses. Every chance she got, she put on her dress-up gowns and stomped around in her play heels. She pretended to be dancing and singing just like her favorite princess.

However, there was one thing that Emma did not love -Brushing her teeth.

Every night before bedtime and in the morning after breakfast, she would seem to be so surprised when her toothbrush was nowhere to be found. She put her hands on her cheeks and said "oh my, oh my," just like her mother did.

She helped look for her toothbrush under the bed.

Nope, no toothbrush there.

She looked behind the couch. Nope, not there.

She even looked in her toy box. No toothbrush in sight.

When Emma's mom was just about to give up, she yelled out, "Found it!"

Emma jumped and turned around to see her mom holding her bright pink toothbrush.

She signed and followed her mother into the bathroom to brush.

This is how every night and morning would go.

Emma's mom was getting a little tired of hunting for the toothbrush every day.

One day, Emma's mom decided to sneak into the bathroom and hide in the tub, waiting to see who was hiding Emma's  toothbrush.

She was very surprised to see Emma tip toe into the bathroom. She pushed her step stool up to the sink and grabbed the pink toothbrush and jumped down with a huge smile on her face.

Emma's mom kept quiet as she watched.

Later that night, Emma's mom told her to come brush her teeth. Emma came in the bathroom and was shocked to see a pretty purple toothbrush. There would be no hunting tonight!

The next morning, Emma snuck into the bathroom, swiping the tooth brush and hiding it really good.

When her mom called her into the bathroom to brush, she was amazed!!!

There in the toothbrush holder was a green toothbrush. Her mom handed it to her with pretty white and blue toothpaste on it, ready for her to brush.

Her shoulders slumped but she brushed as she wondered where in the world are all these toothbrushes coming from!!

Emma decided that tonight she would hide in the tub and see who was replacing the toothbrushes.

That night, Emma watched from the tub, as her mom tip toed into the bathroom, reached into a top cabinet and pulled out a whole basket of toothbrushes. She took the wrap off of a blue one and placed it into the holder.

Emma jumped from the tub exclaiming, "I caught you!"

Her mom jumped as if surprised but the smile on her face showed Emma that she might not be.

"Emma!" Her mom said lovingly. "Why are you hiding? And do you know who has been stealing your toothbrushes?"

Emma's cheeks turned red, and she knew she had to tell the truth.

"It was me!" Emma cried. " I just don't like brushing my teeth. Every morning and every night. It is so boring!!"

"Well, Emma, I bet there is something you  don't know."

"What?" She asked sadly.

"All princesses brush their teeth every morning and every night. And sometimes even after lunch."

Emma's eyes got really big.

"Brushing keeps your teeth clean and white. And it also helps keep the cavity bugs away."

She picked Emma up so she could see herself in the mirror. Her hair was messy under the glittery crown that she wore.

"Have you ever seen a princess with yucky teeth? "

Emma shook her head back and forth.

"You are a beautiful princess, Emma. Don't you want to have beautiful teeth too?"

Emma's eyes sparkled and she smiled big.

"Yes! I want to be a beautiful princess with clean pretty teeth!"

So, the missing toothbrush mystery was solved and Emma began to love brushing her teeth.  Just like all good princesses do.

Today's Magical Lesson

Every day a sticky film called plaque forms on your child's teeth. Plaque is made up of bacteria that feed on sugars from food and drinks. As these bacteria eat, they produce acids that can weaken tooth enamel and lead to cavities. Baby teeth may be temporary, but they play a very important role. Healthy baby teeth help children: Chew comfortably, speak clearly as they learn to talk,  hold space for permanent teeth, Develop confidence through a healthy smile, avoid pain, infection and missed school days. Brushing at Ieast twice a day removes plaque before it has a chance to damage teeth. lt's one of the simplest ways to protect your child's smile. Building healthy habits start with one brush at a time. Every child is different, and that's okay. Our goal is to help children feeI comfortable, confident, and even excited about taking care of their smiles. Whether your little one is visiting for the very first time or just has questions about brushing, we're here to help every step of the way.

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