Building good dental habits early on can lay the foundation for long-term oral health. When children are young, parents have the opportunity to teach children the importance of taking care of their smile. Some children will have a natural interest or excitement about toothbrushing, but you need to have a plan even if your kid is not. By making toothbrushing a fun part of their daily routine, they can gain the teeth cleaning skills and motivation that they will need throughout their lives. Providence Dental Spa wants to support you as you teach the next generation of smiles. We have compiled some tips and tricks to help you, including a downloadable habit chart. You could use the chart as a sticker chart or laminate it and use a dry erase marker to check it off. Kids can look forward to filling in their chart each day. Once they fill in their whole chart, you could even give them a small reward to add even more fun.
Tips for Toothbrushing Fun:
- Try a Toothbrush Tune—Singing can make almost anything more fun for many children. You could sing, “Brush your teeth, do do do do,” to the tune of “Baby Shark” or this song to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”: “Brush, brush, brush your teeth, each and every day. Up and down, and all around. Wash decay away.” Your kids will begin to look forward to brushing their teeth and singing at the same time. A song makes the brushing time go by much more quickly.
- Go for an Electric Toothbrush—An electric toothbrush can help your child do a better job brushing independently. Also, picking an electric toothbrush could be exciting. There are electric toothbrushes with almost every popular cartoon character on them. Some of them may even play music or have a brushing countdown. Even if your kid does not prefer an electric toothbrush, let them choose their own special toothbrush. This is just one simple way to let your kids feel excited and independent while brushing.
- Utilize Training Toothpaste—Make sure to choose a toothbrush designed for brand new brushers. Training toothpaste usually comes in a tasty fruity flavor and it is safe to swallow. Spitting toothpaste out is a learned skill, so choose a toothpaste that will not hurt them while they are learning. The taste of the toothpaste might even encourage them to want to brush. Some training toothpaste comes with cartoon characters on it too.
- Model Good Brushing Habits—Welcome your children into the bathroom when you are brushing. You need your children to see that you prioritize your oral health. If you are committed to your oral health, you are setting an example for them to follow. You could even make it a group activity and brush together after meals. Kids notice our behaviors whether we want them to or not in some moments. Let them see you taking care of your smile even when they appear to not be watching. Also, you should model the importance of a professional cleaning. Make sure to schedule a cleaning for you and your children. If you child has not had a cleaning before, you could even let the child watch you get your teeth cleaned first. Sometimes taking away the mystery of what to expect can put them at peace.
Download the habit chart and start enjoying toothbrushing with your children! Establishing good habits from the beginning is far easier than fixing dental problems later. Reach out to Providence Dental Spa if you need support!