Getting your children to brush regularly, consistently and well is no easy task. I know. I was always a mom first and a dentist second. I have two beautiful girls with the most beautiful smiles you'll ever see (ok, I may be just a little biased) but those smiles take effort from a very early age. Although it does involve regular dental check-ups, fluoride treatment, and sealants, the real work happens at home. Great brushing habits, flossing, the right food and drinks are all fundamental and all happen daily with parental involvement at home.
Here are some tips that we've found helpful for our patients over the years and as a mom who has been there and done that think you'll find them helpful too. Be sure to comment below or on Facebook with tips that have worked for your family too.
1. Buy a fun tooth brush. – There are many options on the market. Some have timers that alert kids to when to stop brushing which helps them brush long enough. Some even have alerts that indicate when to the placement of the toothbrush in their mouth. There are many that look fun. From super heroes to their favorite cartoon character. Take them to the store with you and let them choose.
2. Buy great tasting toothpaste. – There are also many options here. This is one suggestion most parents have tried already and perhaps secretly use these toothpastes themselves.
3. Quarter in Quarter out. – Use two plastic containers in the bathroom. Label one as the Bank and one as your child’s account. Load the bank up with about 21 Quarters ($5.25). Each time your child brushes (3X a day is best) They get to take a quarter from the bank and put it in their account. At the end of each week, give them the dollar amount they have earned. Hint – You can use bills for their earnings so you don’t always have to reload the bank with quarters.
Here are some tips that we've found helpful for our patients over the years and as a mom who has been there and done that think you'll find them helpful too. Be sure to comment below or on Facebook with tips that have worked for your family too.
1. Buy a fun tooth brush. – There are many options on the market. Some have timers that alert kids to when to stop brushing which helps them brush long enough. Some even have alerts that indicate when to the placement of the toothbrush in their mouth. There are many that look fun. From super heroes to their favorite cartoon character. Take them to the store with you and let them choose.
2. Buy great tasting toothpaste. – There are also many options here. This is one suggestion most parents have tried already and perhaps secretly use these toothpastes themselves.
3. Quarter in Quarter out. – Use two plastic containers in the bathroom. Label one as the Bank and one as your child’s account. Load the bank up with about 21 Quarters ($5.25). Each time your child brushes (3X a day is best) They get to take a quarter from the bank and put it in their account. At the end of each week, give them the dollar amount they have earned. Hint – You can use bills for their earnings so you don’t always have to reload the bank with quarters.
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4. Use Apples to Teach some visual lessons on tooth decay. Grab an apple and have your child poke a hole in the apple with a nail. Put the apple in a bag for a week or so. Upon pulling it out, it will look pretty good on the outside, but when you cut it in half putting your knife on the hole, you’ll see that decay has spread inside the apple. Click here or on the picture to visit a page that explains the illustration in detail.
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5. Make a Game Out of Dental Health. – All kids love to imagine. The story may go something like this. Evil Thug Cavity is looking for ways to break in and steal the gold in our well guarded teeth. We can help fight Thug Cavity with Super Brush. You get the idea.
You can also download our free game board which can be printed at home, hung on the mirror in the bathroom and have your child mark an X in each box when they brush at least 2Xs a day. Bring in the completed page and your child can get grab something from our Tooth Brush Treasure Chest. (Hint - We left off a couple days because we want to be realistic in this effort. )
6. Watch these cool videos with your kids. Each of these help teach our children about how to brush properly.
7. Download an App. – There are some great apps for both IOS and Android devices that offer free games, brushing timers and more. Simply do a search for “Kid’s Dental Care” or Kid’s Teeth Brushing” for many options.
We hope these have been a help to you. As you know we are very concerned with great dental care for kids. Please contact us for a check up for your children. We would be honored to help your family stay healthy.
We hope these have been a help to you. As you know we are very concerned with great dental care for kids. Please contact us for a check up for your children. We would be honored to help your family stay healthy.
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