Tired of telling your kids to brush their teeth every day? Try these tips!
Getting a child to brush their teeth can sometimes be a difficult task for some parents. We have these tips provided to you by the Smilee Pediatric Dental team to make it fun!
1. Yummy toothpaste flavor
a. Some children do not like brushing their teeth simply because they do not like the taste or texture of the toothpaste. Picking a toothpaste that offers flavors that your kids like can make brushing more enjoyable for them. At Smilee Pediatric Dentistry, we include RiseWell’s cake batter toothpaste in our goodie bags and the parents are surprised by how much of a difference switching the toothpaste made in reducing tantrums during tooth brushing time! Not only does the toothpaste taste like cake batter, but it also contains hydroxyapatite which naturally strengthens teeth.
2. Try a bluetooth connected interactive toothbrush
a. There are toothbrushes that connect to the iPad or iPhone. Most apps track how often and for how long your child has brushed for, show you where your child has and has not brushed, and have fun brushing games that make brushing fun and interactive. Our office is currently giving free Sonicare for Kids interactive toothbrushes to new patients who mention Bergen Local Moms.
3. Flavored floss
a. Try getting them flavored floss. Our favorite is Cocofloss (we include them in our goodie bags!) and have had great feedback from parents saying that their kids have been flossing more often since they tried Cocofloss! For younger patients, we recommend Crayola’s flavored floss picks.
4. Brushing chart – turn it into a fun activity!
a. Can be a powerful visual tool to encourage children to brush their teeth every day. You can also turn this into a game for them. Have your child mark the times they brushed their teeth on a brushing chart (We provide these in our goodie bags for every patient!) and if they complete the month of brushing every day, they can be rewarded with a prize of their choice or parents’ choice.
5. Have them play their favorite song!
a. Allowing them to pick a song for their brushing routine is a great way to compromise. Most songs are right around 2 minutes; the recommended length of time to brush our teeth. It helps them feel more included when deciding it’s
brushing time and not so much as a “chore” that they don’t want to do. Plus, they will brush their teeth for the time they are supposed to.
6. Keep up with routine dental visits!
a. Dental visits serve as a powerful motivator. Not only are they necessary, but very helpful when developing good habits. Keeping up with regular visits will help pick up the motivation every 6 months and improve the time dedicated at home on hygiene.
7. Words of affirmation
a. To encourage independence, we should recognize and encourage good behavior. Reminding your child that they did an excellent job at brushing their teeth or saying thank you for brushing your teeth today without me reminding you, are words that will affirm to them that it is an easy task to complete, and they did a good job at it.
Closing remarks:
All children are unique. Find what motivates them; different tricks may work one day and not the other, so try rotating through the list!
To learn more about Smilee Pediatric Dentistry, visit their website.