6 Fun Ways To Teach Your Child To Brush Their Teeth

You can begin introducing an oral hygiene routine a few days after birth. Use a clean, wet gauze or washcloth to gently wipe their gums after feedings. As soon as their first tooth erupts, it’s time to begin brushing using a small soft toothbrush twice a day. You should brush your child’s teeth until you feel that they can brush on their own. Every child will be ready at a different age but most can brush by the time they are in preschool. At that time, you should supervise to make sure they use the right amount of toothpaste and following up any places they might have missed.

However, It may be difficult to get your child to brush their teeth when they reach the stage of being able to do it themselves. Follow our tips to find out how to make them enjoy implementing an oral hygiene routine.

Make It A Family Activity

Setting an example for you children is one of the best ways to get them to enjoy brushing their teeth. By brushing your teeth at the same time, you are giving your child a fun, family activity to look forward to everyday. Brush and floss at least twice daily with your children, including once before bedtime. This routine will help to form consistency that they will carry with them into their later life.

Find Fun Dental Education Resources

Read age-appropriate books or watch videos about dental hygiene with your child. Your child will enjoy the time spent together but also they might find it interesting to learn about the importance of their oral health, especially if their parents are interested too.

Use A Special Toothbrush

It is likely that your child will enjoy brushing their teeth more if they can use a special toothbrush of their choosing. As adults, it can be easy to forget the effect of incorporating toys into everyday life.

Create A Tooth brushing Competition

To make tooth brushing more fun, make it a game and set a timer for two minutes. The winner must brush their teeth for two minutes without stopping. This will create a friendly competition and encourage your children to brush their teeth properly.

Reward Tooth Brushing

To encourage your children to brush their teeth twice a day, use a simple rewards system. Start with small rewards, such as a gold star, and award it for the basic necessity, brushing twice a day. Then, award a larger reward for every 10 gold stars. This will make your child motivated to brush their teeth.

Make A Trip To The Dentist A Fun Visit

Make sure that your child understands that a trip to the dentist can be a reward for them keeping their teeth clean, and not a negative outcome for not brushing and flossing. Parents can pass on their fear of the dentist to their children by simply talking about it in a negative tone. Try to avoid this. If you are anxious about a trip to the dentist, try to talk about it in a neutral tone.

Creating a fun routine a home from an early age will ensure that your child develops the habit of caring for their teeth.