Make Brushing Teeth Fun!
-February 15, 2010-Comments (1)
I just recently committed to making brushing my 19-month-old Jack's teeth an essential part of his daily routine, which is often much easier said than done. I'm hoping that establishing the habit now will mean less battles as he gets older.
Getting children to brush regularly, and correctly, can be a real challenge. So in honor of National Children's Dental Health Month, try these easy ideas to encourage brushing!- Trade places. Tired of prying your way in whenever it's time to brush those little teeth? Why not reverse roles and let the child brush your teeth? It’s fun for them and shows them the right way to brush. Just remember, do not share a toothbrush. According to the American Dental Association, sharing a toothbrush may result in an exchange of microorganisms and an increased risk of infections.
- Take turns. Set a timer and have the child brush their teeth for 30 seconds. Then you brush their teeth for 30 seconds. Repeat this at least twice.
- Call in reinforcements. If children stubbornly neglect to brush or floss, maybe it's time to change the messenger. Call the dental office before the next checkup and let them know what's going on. The same motivational message might be heeded if it comes from a third party, especially the dentist.
For more information about children's oral health care, visit DeltaDental.com or Healthy Smiles Healthy Children.
Comments (1)
Great tips! My son had an accident that resulted in him losing 3 of his top teeth. After this, he obviously had an extreme aversion to brushing! We tried all sorts of things until we found something that was perfect for him: A Veggie Tales musical toothbrush! It was a great investment of .99 cents at our local Walgreens. It plays many of the silly sings and the theme song for about 2 minutes, which signals for the child how long to brush. I bought 4 :O).
Posted on February 15, 2010 1:34 PM