Does your child think that summer vacation means no school and no tooth brushing? It’s easy for our routines to get disrupted by parties, festivals and out-of-town trips that occur all summer long. Even if your child’s schedule isn’t that busy they may just be in that mid-summer slump where they don’t want to do anything healthy for them — especially not brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time.
There are a number of ways that you can get them motivated to brush their teeth and back on track.
Tip #1: Make Teeth Brushing an Event
The American Dental Association (ASA) suggests that you make teeth brushing “an event” by cranking up your child’s favorite song and dancing to the music as you and your child brush your teeth. 1 Two minutes listening to the tick of a timer seems like an eternity to a child, but if you substitute a song instead you don’t have to time your child’s brushing since most songs are actually longer than two minutes.
If your child is too little or can’t manage dancing while brushing, the ADA recommends that you read a story in your best dramatic fashion while they brush their teeth. Not only will you carve out some special time with your child by dancing or reading with them twice each day, but you will also be able to observe whether they are brushing correctly and be able to provide education if they are not doing a good job.
Tip #2: Make Brushing a Game
Create a sticker chart each month where your child gets to place a sticker on the chart each time they brush their teeth for two minutes.2 Working with your child, determine a reward for achieving perfect compliance and lesser levels of compliance. Be sure to make the reward a tooth-healthy one rather than a sugar-sweet one!
Tip #3: Let Your Child Pick Their Toothbrush
One of the rewards for faithfully brushing teeth and achieving a certain number of stickers could be a new toothbrush. Your child’s toothbrush or toothbrush head should be replaced every three months.3
There are many great toothbrushes made especially for children. They include toothbrushes with U-shaped handles for easier gripping and ones with screen prints of action figures.
Tip #4: Test How Good They Are Doing
Just like in school where tests evaluate how well a child has learned a lesson, plaque disclosing tablets for teeth can encourage your child to brush better. Plaque disclosing tablets for teeth are available at drug stores and online at Amazon.com.4 After brushing, your child chews a flavored tablet and non-toxic tint coats the places where plaque is still present. Brushing those trouble spots and rinsing will remove the tint from your child’s teeth.
Tip #5: Be a Role Model
Kids are great mimics and often do and say things that they have picked up from their parents. That is why it is so important that parents to practice good oral hygiene and that they do so in front of their children. Another way to turn brushing into a game or event is for you to tell your child that you are pretending to be a mirror and that they should do everything that you do as you are brushing and flossing your teeth.5
Ask your dental professional for more tips on making brushing fun for your kids. They can also provide insight into what areas of the mouth your child needs to focus on based on what they are seeing during your child’s six-month preventive dental check-up.
A Dentist for the Family
Our dental Office in Walled Lake addresses dental health issues of the entire family, including children. Every measure is taken to ensure your child’s comfort as our dental staff has decades of experience.
Gentle oral health assessments, preventative dental care and advice on ways to keep your child’s oral health optimal is the best way to keep a healthy mouth for life. A confident smile can be your best companion as it positively impacts your overall health.
Dr. Hechtman has been providing dental care for over 40 years and offers the latest techniques and procedures in general dentistry as well as cosmetic dentistry and dental treatments. Taking care of your overall health begins with your mouth. Call today for a Free dental consultation!
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1 7 Ways to Make Brushing Fun for Kids
Link: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/fun-ways-to-encourage-kids-to-brush#:
2 Getting Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth: 10 Easy Methods by Matt McWilliams, 3/23/2020
Link: https://moderndentalhygiene.com/getting-your-kids-to-brush-their-teeth-10-easy-methods/
3 Oral B Kids Products
Link: https://oralb.com/en-us/products/kids/
4 Plaque Disclosing Tablets
Link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=plaque+disclosing+tablets&adgrpid=1330409641729696&hvadid=83150841183950&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=104308&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83150962589449%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=21002_13320885&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_3lwzyr3wyw_e
5 5 Fun Ways to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth by Christina Joseph
Link: https://www.aetna.com/health-guide/kids-brush-teeth.html