Do your kids hate to brush their teeth? Here are a few tips from our Smile Town dentists to help make brushing more fun for your child.
Teaching children to brush and floss their teeth is just one way you can show your kids how to take responsibility for their bodies. Nonetheless, it can be very challenging since kids tend to be motivated by fun and pleasure, not by health and necessity.
If you want to encourage your child to take more interest in brushing their teeth, transform this nightly chore into a fun ritual. Here’s how you can do that:
1) For very young children, you can try making the toothbrush into a toy. Allow your child play with their toothbrush. Encourage your child to brush their favourite stuffed toy’s “teeth”; even let them practice brushing your teeth, so you can show your child that you don’t mind it at all.
2) Set a good example for your child by brushing your own teeth carefully and thoroughly, and express pleasure in the process. Talk about how refreshed your mouth feels after brushing, and how great it is not to have stinky breath!
3) Consider setting up an oral hygiene reward system. For example, create a calendar where your child can track each brushing session. Once your child has brushed their teeth for a designated number of days (or weeks) in a row, reward them. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; an extra half an hour of TV before bed, a healthy treat, or a slumber party with friends can all be motivational rewards!
4) Play a catchy song while your child brushes. Many children's songs last 2 -3 minutes, which allows you to challenge your child to brush until the song ends.