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Getting Kids to Brush - 7 Tips From a Dentist Who is Also A Mom

2/17/2020

9 Comments

 
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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.
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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.
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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.

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9 Comments
kathryn link
4/16/2017 09:34:17 pm

Hello, I would like to share our new innovative product that would surely help both parents and children. Our mission is to improve the dental health of children worldwide, so we’ve invented Brushies. Brushies is an app-based toy which makes brushing your teeth fun. It’s specially designed for children (although there’s nothing stopping grownups playing!) and the aim is to get kids brushing better for longer. We've built a toy called Pearly which motivates kids to brush their teeth and to have fun while doing it. Now we want to take it step further to teach them to brush even better. We need your help for this, and as a reward, we are offering to send you our current Pearly right away, as well as our next generation Pearly when we build her. Please share our Brushies campaign with your friends and family. Let them know there’s a toy which can make brushtime more fun. Check out Brushies in Indiegogo https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brushies-makes-brushing-your-teeth-fun-kids#/

Reply
Matias Alexander link
6/9/2017 09:44:38 am

I recently wrote a blog post on choosing the best electric toothbrush in 2017. It would be awesome if you could check it out and possibly link to it on this post!

Here it is: http://healthspawn.com/best-electric-toothbrush/

Reply
Jarrod link
8/8/2017 11:15:53 pm

Great tips, especially the last 2 ones since kids these days are stuck to their gadgets.

Reply
lovely smiles link
9/13/2017 06:11:43 am

This is really helpful for all the moms out there. Thanksn

Reply
The Oral Health Center link
10/27/2021 09:18:03 pm

Brushing one's teeth is an important part of oral hygiene and dental care. It removes plaque and food particles from the teeth, reducing the risk of cavities, gum disease and bad breath. Brushing teeth also stimulates gums and helps them to maintain a healthy appearance.

There are two ways to brush your teeth:

1) Manual tooth brushing: This is where one brushes their own teeth (using a toothbrush and toothpaste) by holding the brush at a 45-degree angle against the gums and moving it in circular motion around all surfaces of each tooth.

2) Powered tooth brushing: This is where one uses an electric or battery-powered device to brush their teeth (usually holds a brush at a 45-degree angle against the gum line).

Reply
Richter Dental link
8/5/2022 02:27:10 am

Great tips! Having kids to brush their teeth can be really hard at times. This could be really helpful. Do you think getting them an electric toothbrush could also help make it easier to have them brush their teeth?

Reply
Todd P. Briscoe, DDS link
9/22/2022 02:29:57 am

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. They are called wisdom teeth because they come in at a time when people are considered to be old enough to have wisdom. While some people never have any problems with their wisdom teeth and they come in just fine, for others, the teeth can cause problems. When this happens, the teeth may need to be removed.

Reply
General Dentist Near You link
10/21/2022 02:32:18 am

When it comes to getting kids to brush their teeth, there are a few useful tips that can help. First, it’s important to make sure that the toothbrush is the right size for your child’s mouth. Secondly, let them choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste so that they feel more invested in the process. Finally, make sure to set a good example by brushing your own teeth at the same time!

Reply
DentalDost link
2/21/2023 02:32:40 am

Most recommended <a href="https://products.dentaldost.com/best-kids-toothbrushes-in-india/"> toothbrush for kids </a>

Reply



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  • Home
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