Encouraging Oral Health Care For Your Kids

Oral health care can be a chore for your kids. It’s important to encourage them to brush and floss regularly to maintain healthy long-term oral health care habits. Here are a few methods and games to encourage your children to brush and floss on a regular basis:

Lead by example . Maintain a regular routine of oral care, and your kids will emulate your healthy habits. Don’t make it seem like a forgettable and unimportant chore. Be a role model for their healthcare by making brushing and flossing a twice-a-day habit that kids can look forward to.

Make it fun. To help your kids get excited and engage in brushing, create a good story to explain why oral health care is important. For example, create a story of how sugar bugs build houses on our teeth if we don’t brush them away. A simple story will help them to see brushing in an exciting, new light.

Focus on healthy habits . Help them be mindful of how effectively they brush their teeth. Instead of rubbing the toothbrush back and forth, help them to envision the wheels of a train and how they move as a guide on how to brush their teeth. Encourage them to massage their teeth and gums in big circles. Motivate them to “make a few train stops” so that they brush in front and behind of each and every tooth, as well as their gums and tongue.

Keep a timer . To encourage your kids brush for the recommended two minutes, have them mentally sing through the alphabet or have a timer set. This will help them envision the two minutes and foster independent tooth brushing. For some extra fun, encourage them to brush their teeth to their favorite song.

Show and tell . Your family should visit the dentist twice a year for proper oral care and health checkups, but your child can further benefit from the dentist. Your dentist can help show your child how to properly brush and floss. Your dentist can even help demonstrate a dissolving agent , which can show you how much plaque remains on your teeth after improper oral care.

Let them choose their own tools . Get your child a toothbrush in their favorite color or toothpaste in their favorite flavor. Small incentives can energize and motivate your child to brush. Find a toothbrush with soft bristles so that they don’t harm their teeth. Toothpaste with fluoride will make teeth strong and provide protection from cavities. Teach your kids to regularly switch out the toothbrush after three months and to use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush.

Praise your kids. To encourage healthy behavior, praise your kids when they brush for a solid two minutes or when they brush and floss properly. Healthy encouragement will motivate them to take care of their teeth. It will also help encourage independence and mindfulness of their own healthcare.

For oral health care tips that focus on younger children, visit Brushing Up on Oral Health: Never Too Early to Start.

Incorporate these healthy oral health care habits into your child’s daily routine, and help your child see that oral care is not only a health priority but the key to a wonderful smile.