Do you feel like you are starting a war every day when you ask your kids to brush their teeth? Most kids don’t think that it is fun to brush their teeth, but this is an important habit that needs to be learned at an early age. Even though it feels like a battle to teach these lessons to your children, it is important for parents to stay involved. Here are four tips to help:
1. Plan a Family Activity
Kids often imitate their parents, so you can motivate your child by participating in the activity together. Make flossing and brushing a family activity, with parents and kids doing it at the same time. As the parent, you have the opportunity to model the behavior that needs to be learned. At the same time, you can monitor the brushing to ensure that it is done properly.
2. Pick a Kid-Friendly Toothpaste
The minty flavor of traditional toothpaste can be too strong for a child to handle. Many kids think that the toothpaste tastes “spicy” or “icky.” A better solution is to choose a toothpaste designed for children. These products offer a variety of flavors, and your kids will love the taste.
3. Take a Trip to the Store for a New Toothbrush
A fun toothbrush can be a motivating factor to encourage your child to brush more frequently. Plan a trip to the store with your child so that they can view the many themed toothbrushes that are offered. Often, they will choose a theme to match their favorite cartoon character or superhero. Picking a toothbrush helps the child to feel engaged in the decision to brush their teeth.
4. Turn on the Radio
Make it a fun activity by playing upbeat music in the bathroom. Put on the child’s favorite song, and hum along to the music while you are brushing. The music keeps the child’s mind distracted to help with the passing of time while they are brushing. Both adults and children should brush for two minutes, so you might pick a song that is 2 minutes in length. Then, you can build their excitement by having a small dance party after everyone is done brushing.
Learning good oral hygiene habits doesn’t have to be boring for frustrating. As you can see, there are a few small things that you can do to make it an enjoyable experience for your family. Try these techniques in your home, and you will be amazed to see how much fun it can be to teach your children healthy dental habits.
