Don’t we all know it’s not an easy task when it comes to brushing your child’s teeth !! Parents often say that their child wants to brush on their own, they don’t allow them to assist or they don’t even want to brush at night time!!
Brushing teeth does not have to be a chore at the end of the day! You can make it a family fun activity by role modeling good oral hygiene…
We love this quote by an unknown author “You don’t have to BRUSH all your teeth only the ones you plan to keep”
7 simple suggestions from us to make teeth brushing- a fun time in your house !!
1. Role model : Be a role model for your child by showing how good you brush your teeth for a healthier smile, have them watch you brush and floss regularly !! Show off your shiny teeth to them and encourage them to show off their shiny teeth when they follow the routine 🙂
2. Listening to your favorite song: For toddlers we encourage them to sing the ABC’s twice slowly which adds up to about 2 minutes to ham up the brushing routine !! For older kids they can listen to their favorite song on the ipod, most songs are at least 2 minutes, if not parents can download the free Brush DJ app via a smart phone and have their kids listen to it during brushing which can be very exciting for kids !!
3. Boost up the confidence: Tell your child that you will brush his or her teeth first and then your child can go back and check if you did a good job ?? This will encourage your child to check if mommy or daddy did a good job with brushing and they will spend enough time to brush thoroughly!!
4. Reward System: Rewarding your child always works, make smile faces on the calendar for a whole week if you see your child do a good job with 2 minute brushing, reward them at the end of the week !! A little incentive always boosts their pride and confidence !!
5. Pink Tablets : There are pink color plaque disclosing tablets available in the retail store ! chewing one tablet before brushing dyes the areas of plaque in dark pink color making it easy for kids to see where plaque build up is more and they can brush thoroughly ! this is a great self teaching tool for kids aged 5-12.
6. Invest on a bright color toothbrush, because kids like bright colors !! Also an electric toothbrush with a timer adds extra fun, this makes kids wanting to brush their teeth !!
7. Least but not last choose the right flavor toothpaste for your child !! Kids may not usually like the adult toothpaste that you have at home, choosing the fun fruity flavors especially made for kids, encourages them to brush 🙂