Spending time with your family is essential — and American Family Day was established to do just that. The holiday first began in Arizona in 1977, designed as a mid-summer way to honor, celebrate, and enjoy time together with your family. 

American Family Day helps remind us of the importance of our loved ones. And what is more essential when caring for your family than their health? Though sometimes overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life, practicing great oral health, especially with children, is an essential part of keeping everybody healthy. In other words, good oral hygiene is more than just a personal benefit: it helps the whole family!
 

1. Tooth Pain is Debilitating

Few things are as unpleasant as a bad toothache and seeing your child (or another family member) in severe pain tends to be deeply distressing. Practicing sound oral hygiene — brushing regularly and effectively, flossing, and having regular dentist checkups — is vital, and helps keep your kids content, pain-free, and holistically healthy.
 

2. Enjoy Sweets on Holidays

Whether you're celebrating American Family Day, a birthday, or another holiday, you want to have some flexibility to indulge in sweet treats. Practicing responsible sweet consumption is essential for long-term oral health — and keeping up good oral hygiene practices around holidays ensures that eating tasty desserts does not have negative long-term health effects for your children's teeth.
 

3. Don't Forget Photos

Creating memories is a critical part of family life, and photos are a great way to celebrate special family events. But damaged or painful teeth can make even smiling for a family photo deeply uncomfortable. Promoting great oral hygiene is essential for crafting those picture-perfect memories you and your family will always remember.
 

4. Plan for the Future

Great oral hygiene starts in childhood. Teaching children to brush, floss, and take care of their teeth early ensures these habits continue into adulthood, and helps protect their teeth down the road. When you celebrate American Family Day, or another holiday, remember that the health habits you build with your children will be essential for ensuring they stay healthy and happy long into the future.
 

5. Keep Costs Down

Finally, it is always useful to remember that consistent oral hygiene can save you and your children a lifetime of costly dental bills — an expense that sometimes grows more significant in adulthood, particularly when good oral hygiene has not been maintained.

While finances may only be a secondary motivator in caring for your children, it is helpful to remember that teaching good brushing and flossing habits from an early age may save you — and more importantly, in the long run, your children — from unnecessary, expensive, and sometimes uncomfortable dental procedures.
 

Keep Your Teeth Healthy