Six Proven Methods to Get Your Kid to Brush Their Teeth
Six Proven Methods to Get Your Kid to Brush Their Teeth
Ask a person of any age about the importance of teeth brushing – and you’ll hear all sorts of great things about it. However, try to actually get your kid to brush their teeth – and you’ll quickly learn it’s easier said than done. If that makes you feel any better, know that you are not alone – surveys show that up to 70% of such attempts end in tantrums, and most parents occasionally let their children skip it to avoid a meltdown. To help you out, here are some ways to make teeth brushing engaging for kids.
How Important Is It to Brush Baby Teeth?
Everyone knows baby teeth are sort of a placeholder for real ones, which is why they might feel as not particularly important. After all, they are bound to fall out soon, so why bother about their health?
In reality, baby teeth are essential for long-term oral health in many aspects. For starters, your kid will rely on them for eating, speaking, and smiling for several years, so having them in good shape wouldn’t hurt (literally). Second, that placeholder role – it’s actually more important than you think. The shape and alignment of adult teeth depend on the way baby teeth are positioned, so losing one a year too early will make others drift into the empty space. Over time, even one misaligned tooth may cause others to come out crooked and crowded.
What’s more, developing a cavity on a baby tooth can also damage the permanent one beneath it or cause gum inflammation and infection. And treating those cavities can bring as much discomfort and anxiety as in adults, even with the most kid-friendly dentist. In other words, taking care of baby teeth means fewer visits to cosmetic dentistry Albuquerque once your children grow up.
What Happens When Kids Don’t Brush Their Teeth?
Let’s face it: brushing teeth is boring, and missing it once or twice doesn’t cause your teeth to fall out immediately. There’s no wonder, then, that children will brush eagerly the next day after visiting the Westside family dentistry Albuquerque but happily forget about it a week later. Unfortunately, over time, the effects of neglecting oral hygiene will be dire. Here’s how it unfolds:
- Food leftovers lodged between teeth attract bacteria
- Bacteria form a thin film of plaque on teeth and gums
- Acids formed by bacteria erode tooth enamel
- Gum inflammation leads to the development of gingivitis and periodontitis
- Gum and teeth infections adversely impact other organs
To sum up, not only does brushing determine at what age do kids go to the dentist for the first time, it also improves their general well-being in the years to come.
How Do You Teach a Child to Brush Their Teeth?
So, you’ve just returned from kids dentist Albuquerque with a bunch of recommendations and a firm decision to set a daily brushing routine. Fast forward two weeks later, and you are still struggling to get your kid to brush their teeth even once per week. The reason is simple – brushing may be healthy, yet in practice it’s a chore. So the key here is not to force it onto the kids but make them want to do it. And while it may seem improbable, there’s actually plenty of ways you can do it.
How to Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids?
Get Your Facts Right
To you, the importance of oral hygiene may be apparent; for your child, it often feels like the strangest request their parents have invented to torture them. Be prepared to answer the questions like “how long to brush kids teeth” in a simple and convincing manner.
Lead by Example
No matter how compelling the explanation, it does little if you don’t abide by the rules you yourself have set. Brushing together not only sets a good example to follow but can actually make it feel like a fun family activity. Besides, it’s a good chance to show that brushing technique you’ve been recommended at just for kids dental Albuquerque and check whether the child does it right.
Make Brushing a Memorable Experience
Looking at the timer that is slowly counting down seconds while you brush your teeth is probably not something you would feel thrilled about. So, to make it feel less of a chore, think of the ways to make these minutes more engaging. Turn on some cheerful music, come up with a simple dance, or recite a short story (as long as it’s not too much of a distraction). Anything that you can fit into two minutes will do, as long as it doesn’t get repetitive and makes a child look forward to it.
Use the Power of Storytelling
Speaking of two-minute stories, there’s no need to stick to books – let your imagination loose and invent your own adventure. Humans are storytelling creatures, so the ideas wrapped in a narrative feel more compelling to us. Bonus points if it is thematically appropriate, like a superhero battling hordes of plaque baddies.
Reward Success
Sticking to the schedule doesn’t feel rewarding on its own, so add something that does. Create a reward chart and use stickers to track progress. Come up with achievements that reward flawless brushing streaks. Sometimes even a simple high-five will do – the important thing is to show the child that their efforts matter.
Get a Cool Toothbrush
Anything becomes more fun when you get a fancy tool to do it with. The market offers plenty of options that can make the process both efficient and engaging. Let the kids choose a toothbrush that will turn a routine into an adventure.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are many ways to help your kid develop healthy oral health habits. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. So, to find the best solution for you, try to keep it interesting and creative – and don’t forget to ask your kid’s dentist for advice.