If you’re struggling to get your child to brush their teeth daily, don’t worry, you’re not alone. As many as two-thirds of children refuse to brush their teeth, and the average parent spends as much as nine minutes a day nagging their children to brush their teeth. As a result, 70% of parents deem teeth brushing times to be the most stressful part of the day.
Tips to Encourage Teeth Brushing for Kids
This struggle to get children to brush their teeth leads to anxiety about the future of their oral health. The last thing that any parent wants is for their children to have a mouthful of cavities, discolored teeth, or even dental implants to replace rotten teeth.
Therefore, parents across the globe are searching for ways to make teeth brushing time more fun. Listed below are some of the top tips to encourage teeth brushing for kids.
Incorporate a Story
Firstly, you might try turning teeth brushing time into a story, in which the teeth brushing is placed at the center of the action. Use your child’s interests to form the basis of this social story to engage them with teeth brushing.
Have dragons invaded the teeth kingdom, and the only way to defeat them is by brushing? Is every tooth a dirty car that needs a good clean? Perhaps planet teeth have been invaded by aliens, and brushing is the only way to defend the area. Regardless of which story you pick, turning teeth brushing into a heroic act will make it more appealing to your little ones.
Host a Bathroom Dance Party
What if, at teeth brushing time, your child’s favorite songs filled the bathroom in anticipation of the dance party that comes with teeth brushing? You might even let your child choose the song each time; as long as it lasts for at least two minutes, this is enough time for them to get a good brushing in.
Let the Child Pick their Toothbrush
You should switch your toothbrush out every three to four months for a new one. To encourage teeth brushing, why not turn this into an event? When the time comes to buy a new toothbrush, make a big deal about it. Take your child to the store and let them choose the desired toothbrush. Many brands sport popular characters, making teeth brushing more appealing to kids. If they choose the toothbrush themselves, they’ll feel more involved in the process, making them more inclined to use the toothbrush.
Transform the Bathroom into the Dentist
Role-play games are always a hit with kids, and using your imagination to turn the bathroom into the dentist’s is a great way to encourage teeth brushing. Every morning and every night, the child should sit in the waiting room until they’re called in by the dentist (the parent). The dentist can then inspect the child’s teeth and oversee their brushing. This turns teeth brushing into a game and normalizes dentist visits for those kids who are nervous about the dentist.
Make Teeth Brushing a Family Activity
If your child is forced to brush their teeth every day, they’ll likely feel singled out, making them more reluctant to brush. If every family member brushes their teeth together, they’ll feel like they’re part of family activity. Similarly, kids follow by example, so if they see you brushing your teeth and enjoying it, they’ll be more than happy to do the same. The family that brushes together smiles together.
Hopefully, the list above helps you get your kids into teeth brushing. If you need more tips and tricks though, you can always visit experts like this dentist who does exceptional teeth whitening in Redwood City.