February 18, 2026. By Breanne Bygrave.

The most powerful tool for protecting your child’s oral health isn’t in a dentist’s office. It starts within the community. The conversations you have with your child, niece, nephew, or even student about brushing, food choices, and how their mouth feels can shape their lifelong oral health more than any twice-a-year appointment ever could. A question as simple as, “Are your teeth sensitive to cold drinks?” when you see your child wince while sipping cold water can open the door to meaningful conversations about their oral health. The best part? You don’t need special training to make these conversations count. You just need to talk.

Children learn the fundamentals of life spanning from friendship, safety, kindness, even how to use their tablet because we talk with them about it. Oral health shouldn’t be the one topic reserved for a dental chair, when a child may already feel nervous or overwhelmed. At home or in the classroom, they’re relaxed, curious, and more likely to listen because they’re hearing from someone they trust.

And if you’re thinking, I’m not a dental expert, you don’t need to be. You are someone who cares for your child and notices small changes. If you see redness on their gums, you don’t need to know the clinical term is gingivitis. What matters most is noticing the change and asking about it. In a world of easy access to information, we can always seek guidance from dental professionals or reliable health resources when we need it.

As a Schweitzer Fellow, I recently saw this firsthand while working at the Boys & Girls Club through an initiative we call the Cavity-Free Zone. After weeks of engaging kids in simple, everyday conversations about brushing, food choices, and how their mouths work, something remarkable happened: the children became the experts. They explained plaque to one another, reminded friends to drink water instead of soda, and proudly demonstrated their C-shaped flossing technique.

What surprised me most was that many of them knew more about oral health than some adults in their lives, simply because someone consistently took the time to talk with them. Even more encouraging, children who once resisted dental visits began looking forward to them. They were eager to show the dentist what they had learned. That transformation didn’t come from a lecture, but instead from conversation.

These conversations help kids understand why oral health matters and how it is interrelated with general health. They start to understand that when their parents tell them to go brush their teeth, it’s not just because they’re bossing them around but because a healthy mouth helps them eat, sleep, learn, and feel confident. That “why” is what makes habits stick.

When we make oral health a normal part of everyday conversation, we give children the tools they need to thrive. A few simple talks today can set them up for years of healthy smiles. Tonight, instead of saying, “Go brush your teeth,” try asking, “Why do you think we brush before bed?” That small shift from telling to asking can turn a routine into understanding, and understanding is what makes habits last.

Breanne Bygrave

2025-26 NCOHC Schweitzer Fellow

UNC School of Dentistry, Class of 2027

The opinions expressed are the author’s own.