Learning about children’s oral health usually isn’t too much fun, but it’s important.

“Tooth decay is one of the top infectious diseases among children—one-in-three children ages 3 to 5 years old in the U.S. are affected by tooth decay,” said Erika Hoeft, PR director at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “The kicker: It is nearly 100 percent preventable.”

Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, AAPD wanted to help its members educate parents by sharing tips on how they could help their kids avoid tooth decay and cavities—but it also wanted to package these tips in a more fun and interesting way.

With that in mind, AAPD created Dentyland, an interactive game that kids and their parents or caregivers can play to find out important tips about brushing, plaque, cavities, and more. The game is part of a larger AAPD initiative and online hub called Mouth Monsters, which aims to present oral-health education in a palatable way for both kids and their parents.

Similar to the rules of Candy Land, players can follow the Dentyland, but instead of ending up at the Candy Castle, Dentyland players will arrive at Dr. Smiles. Along the way, Dentyland players will land at places like “Molar Mountain” and “Cavity Canyon,” where they’ll learn important oral health facts, such as this one:

“Tooth D.K has been rotting in this region, using sugary drinks to create Cavity Canyon. Avoid this crevasse-filled area by limiting the amount of carbonated beverages, sports drinks, and juice pouches your child consumes.”

The Dentyland game is available online, but pediatric dentists can also print it off, so patients and their parents can play it the old-fashioned way.

“We are on a mission to help kids and parents care for little teeth to ensure their oral and overall health for years to come,” Hoeft said. “At the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, we are always working to provide tools to our members and educate parents and caregivers about their children’s teeth.”

(iStock/Thinkstock)