Teaching Kids About Good Oral Hygiene
The road to a healthy mouth begins when we are kids. Teaching your kids good oral hygiene habits will lead to a life-long beautiful smile and a healthy mouth. However, it’s not always an easy task to teach kids good brushing and flossing habits. Warren family dentist, Dr Apsey has provided some tricks below for getting your kids excited about taking care of their teeth.
Start a Routine
It is just as important for kids to get on a routine for brushing as it is for adults. Just like you, kids need to brush twice a day. To get your kids on a twice per day brushing schedule, make brushing a part of their start of the day and bedtime routines. If it is a challenge to get your children to stick with a wake-up and bedtime routine, you may want to try having your kids brush their teeth at the same time as you. This shows them that even Mom and Dad brush and that it is an important part of the day. Having a routine is a good way to start encouraging kids to have healthy habits.
Help with Technique
If brushing and flossing hurts, or feels wrong, kids aren’t going to want to brush. It’s important as their parent to help your kids learn good brushing and flossing techniques. This means encouraging them to brush gently, helping them floss, and showing them how much toothpaste is enough.
Make Brushing Fun
Brushing and flossing don’t have to be a chore. There are easy ways to make brushing fun, especially for smaller kids. Here are some easy things you can do, to help make brushing fun.
1. Let your kids pick their own toothbrush. A fun toothbrush can be the easiest way to get your kids to brush and have it be a fun activity. There are lots of options for kid’s toothbrushes, from fun colors to cartoon characters. There are even brushes that play music to help your kids know how long they should brush. If your kids love their toothbrush, they are more likely to want to brush. Just make sure that you help them find a soft bristle brush that will be gentle on their teeth.
2. Create fun games. This might mean having a bubble contest, or see who can spit closest to the drain. Adding extra fun to the routine will keep kids interested, and turn a routine task into a fun way to start and end the day.
3. Create a Brushing Chart. A brushing chart is a good way to help your kids keep track of when they have brushed, and reminds them when they need to brush. You can get fun stickers to help track brushing. Having a fun reward at the end of a week or month of consistent brushing will make it even more fun.
Brushing doesn’t have to be a chore for your kids, and it doesn’t have to be a chore for you either. Making learning how to brush a fun routine will encourage your children to start a life-long habit of good oral hygiene.
Looking for a Warren Family Dentist?
An essential part of a healthy mouth is a regular check-up with your dentist. If you are looking for a Warren family dentist, visit Dr. Aspey and the staff at Smile Brightly. For more information on our services or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 586-573-7700.