Dental Library Review: My Tooth is Loose!

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over My Tooth is Loose! by Martin Silverman and Amy Aitken. 

This book follows Gorgie, a young boy with a loose tooth. Unsure of what to do with this discovery, Georgie consults his friends. They offer him a number of options on removing the tooth, ranging from eating an apple to tying a string around it. He is unsatisfied with their answers and decides to ask his Mom. She assures him that if he leaves the tooth alone, it will come out on its own. 

Our office recommends this book because it helps ease concerns about loose teeth and what to do with them. Children can have all types of wild ideas on how to remove loose teeth, some of which can be potentially dangerous. It is best to let the teeth loosen and come out on their own. 

My Tooth is Loose! is a Penguin Young Readers level 2 book. As such, it features large pictures, simple sentences and context clues. If you would like to know more about this book or any other books we have at our office, please stop by! We love getting our patients and their children excited about oral health topics!

Dental Library Review: Clifford's Loose Tooth

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Clifford’s Loose Tooth, adapted by Wendy Cheyette Lewison (with illustrations by John and Sandrina Kurtz).

In this story, the lovable Clifford loses his first puppy tooth. Initially, he is a little frightened and confused until Emily Elizabeth explains that loose teeth are completely normal. His friends suggest various ways that he can preemptively remove it, but he decides to wait and let it fall out on his own. In the end, his patience is rewarded with a big dog bone from the tooth fairy. It really goes to show that being patient with loose teeth pays off!

We love this story because it reinforces the idea of letting a baby tooth come out on its own. While children will naturally wiggle and play with loose teeth, being overly aggressive with a not-so-loose tooth can end up in pain and injury. This story is a fun way to remind your children that their teeth will come out when they are ready! As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!

Dental Library Review: Dear Tooth Fairy

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Dear Tooth Fairy by Alan Durant (with illustrations by Vanessa Cabban).

This story follows interactions between Holly, a young girl who lost her first tooth, and the Tooth Fairy. Holly tries to deceive the Tooth Fairy by leaving plastic teeth under her pillow, but only receives a letter of concern in return. As the two exchange writings, Holly learns about the Fairy’s fantastic world. With a fun twist, the book includes all of their communications in separate, removable letters and envelopes. Interactive and Imaginative!

This hard bound book with fun surprises and large illustrations would be a perfect gift for a young girl losing her first tooth. We are sure it will bring your little ones hours of enjoyment with the fun letters from the Tooth Fairy! As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!

Dental Library Review: The Tooth Book

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss (with illustrations by Joe Mathieu).

Being a classic Dr. Seuss storybook, this tale is full of whimsical rhymes and colorful illustrations; Joe Mathieu does a great job of pairing the fun poetry with equally entertaining imagery. In this early reader, we learn about all the fun places we can find teeth and why they are so important. We also get a short lesson in why we have to take good care of our teeth and what happens to boys and girls who eat too many sweets. Overall, it is a great mix of silly fun and important oral health concepts for small children.

Given the simple wording, thick pages and short storyline, this book is likely best suited for young readers or as a bedtime story. In fact, it is listed as a part of Dr. Seuss’ Bright and Early Board Books. As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!

Dental Library Review- Franklin and the Tooth Fairy

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark.

This book follows the characters and storyline of Franklin the Turtle and his animal buddies. In this tale, Franklin’s best friend, Bear, loses his first tooth. Startled by his friend’s joyous response, Franklin contemplates how and why he doesn’t have any teeth to lose. As he learns about the tooth fairy, he becomes apprehensive about not being able to “grow up” and get adult teeth. However, his parents clear up the confusion, and leave him a small present to celebrate him growing up, since he can’t get a visit from the tooth fairy.

We love this book because it deals with using lost teeth as a measure of “growing up.” Children typically lose their first tooth between ages 5 and 6, a range that can seem like an eternity to young minds. This book helps reassure children that although their friends may be losing teeth before them, they are all getting older every single day. Kinds tend to use lost teeth as a measure of age as it is a very visible milestone. This book is here to remind them that everyone grows up at their own pace, regardless of lost teeth.

Given the content and word count for this book, we would recommend it as a bedtime story or a guided reader for slightly older children. As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!

Dental Library Review- Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy by Marc Brown.

This book follows the characters and basic plot line of the popular Arthur books and TV show. In this story, Arthur looses a tooth and wakes up to some money from the Tooth Fairy. His sister, D.W., is both confused and jealous that she hasn't lost a tooth yet. After much deliberation (and a few attempts to prematurely remove teeth), she comes to the conclusion that she can trick the Tooth Fairy into visiting her. After catching wind of his sister's plan, Arthur decides to entertain D.W. by swapping her decoy tooth for a few dollars. 

In addition to being a great story, this book is a part of the Step into Reading learning program. This system categorizes books into five levels to encourage gradual development of reading skills. Being a "step 3" book, Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy is generally appropriate for first through third graders who can read on their own. It introduces some new vocabulary and has a fun set of stickers to match the words. A second set of stickers is also included, with instructions on writing your own story about Arthur and his friends. 

We love this book because it is an excellent story with fun additional content. We also feel this book would be great for younger siblings experiencing some "tooth fairy jealousy." As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!

Dental Library Review- Tooth Fairy

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Tooth Fairy by Audrey Wood.

This story follows Matthew, who just lost a tooth, and his sister, Jessica. Jessica decides she can trick the Tooth Fairy into bringing her treats along with her brother by painting a kernel of corn white. She proceeds to have a vivid dream about the tooth fairy and her magic kingdom. As Matthew’s tooth is placed in the hall of perfect teeth, hers is outed as a fake. The story concludes with Jessica waking up to a loose tooth, excited to have her own (legitimate) visit from the tooth fairy.

Being a picture-heavy book with little wording, this story is likely best for preschool and kindergarten aged children. It would make a great bedtime story for a first lost or “wiggly” tooth before the toothfairy actually comes. Our office likes this book because it avoids the concept of “lost teeth = money.” Matthew receives “treasure” for his teeth, including an apple and a toy car. This could be useful for your household, if the tooth fairy decides to bring toys or snacks instead of cash.

As with all of the story books at our office, feel free to stop by and take a look. In addition to this book, we have a collection of toys, stories and gifts all geared towards children’s dentistry. We want to do everything possible to get your family excited and informed about dentistry and oral health!