Ava is a girl who loves to have fun. SO. MUCH. FUN!

She would play with her toys, watch her favorite cartoons, hang out with friends, do arts & crafts and even organize talent shows for her family. But, there was one thing that Ava did not like to do.

One thing she dreaded doing…

Which was… brushing her teeth.

There are plenty of reasons why people brush their teeth, and for every reason, Ava had two reasons why she didn’t need to brush her teeth:

You should brush your teeth to avoid stinky breath.
And to that, Ava says: I don’t get close enough to anyone where they can smell my breath, plus I just chew gum all the time. How would they ever know?

You should brush your teeth so that you don’t get cavities.
And to that, Ava says: These are my baby teeth, they’re going to fall out anyways!

You should brush your teeth as a routine to build good habits.
And to that, Ava says: what about the environment? Think of all of the water and toothpaste I’m saving!

Every morning and every night, Ava’s mom would remind her, “Ava, please go brush those teeth of yours”. Ava would reluctantly get up and walk to the bathroom, dragging her feet.

Here’s the thing: in the bathroom, Ava wouldn’t brush her teeth. Instead, she would sit on the toilet and let the water run while playing on her iPad. She thought she was being clever but little did she know what not brushing her teeth would lead to.

One day, Ava went to the dentist for her 6 month check-up. She hated going to the dentist, such long wait times. BORING! She’d have to sit there with a bunch of other kids, doing nothing, absolutely nothing until it was time to go see the dentist.

Truly, the only good thing about going the dentist was getting to ride on the dentist chair and getting a free sticker.

Dr. Yeun took one look at Ava’s teeth and gasped. She saw the biggest cavity she’d ever seen on a little girl. She tapped Ava’s tooth and Ava yelled, “Ahhh”.

“Yup a cavity”, said Dr. Yuen.
“Looks like we need to give you a filling”, she added.

“A filling?”, asked Ava.

Ava was so upset. She didn't like the idea of having to get a filling. Was it going to hurt? What would happen if it fell out while she was sleeping and she choked on it? Will the other kids notice her filling and make fun of her? So many unknowns.

The dentist explained to Ava that brushing her teeth is so important for keeping them strong and healthy, even if they’re just her baby teeth. If Ava didn't start brushing her teeth regularly, she might get more cavities and other dental problems - like GINGIVITIS!

Ava shrieked, “GINGIVITIS?!”

That’s right, kids, you can get gingivitis too!

At that very moment, Ava made a promise to herself that she would start brushing her teeth twice a day, every single day. And to make things a little less boring, she would play her favourite song while doing it.

After the appointment, Ava and her mom went to Target for a brand new fancy toothbrush and toothpaste that tastes like bubblegum. Score!

 

That night, she couldn't wait to start her new journey to healthy habits and fresh breath.

Questions:
Do you enjoy brushing your teeth? Why or why not?
What things can you do to make brushing your teeth more fun or enjoyable?
What are your thoughts and feelings about going to the dentist?