Teaching your children to brush their teeth | Ortho Excellence

Parenting 101: Teaching your children to brush their teeth

Since birth, it was your job to take care of your child’s oral hygiene. But as they grow older, they will need to do this themselves. For this, it is up to you to teach them the correct methods of brushing and flossing their teeth. In this article, you will learn a couple of games and techniques that can help you with the teaching process.

How to become an awesome teacher

The best way of modeling good behavior and make it stick is to get your kids excited about their teeth. They need to consider brushing teeth as a fun time, not a chore. You can induce this by being happy while you brush your teeth (and your child is watching). You need to get them to copy you. Buy them a toothbrush that is the same color and model as yours. You could also try to buy them an electric toothbrush, as it may be more entertaining for them. You could even let them brush your teeth while you brush theirs. This way you make sure their teeth are actually cleaned.

Fun and play will keep decay away

  1. The Story Teller

You can explain in a funny way why they need to brush their teeth and how “the sugar bugs will make holes in their teeth” if they won’t brush twice daily. Some children will need a good reason and a good story to get on board, so get creative.

  1. Show and tell

If they are still not willing to brush their teeth, you can ask the pharmacist or dentist for a dissolving agent. By using a dissolving agent, you can clearly show them the plaque on their teeth. They will just chew, and the pink will show where the plaque is stuck on their teeth.

  1. Brushing like train wheels

You can make your child think of brushing strokes as train wheels. If your child will getting the choo-choo train habit, you ensure they brush correctly. Teach them to use big circular motions, round and round not back and forth.

  1. Bubbles everywhere

You should encourage your child to create a lot of bubbles when they’re brushing their teeth. You could even organize a contest with your child to see who can create the most bubbles.

  1. Brushing with a stuffed animal

You will do this for extra encouragement. Tell your kid to bring their favorite stuffed doll or animal into the bathroom and have them mimic brushing their toy’s teeth. After that, it is their turn to brush their teeth. You can integrate a game where your child is a superhero who has to rescue each tooth from the plaque monsters.

It is not hard to teach your child to brush their teeth, but you have to have a lot of patience. Encourage good behavior and explain calmly if they are doing something wrong. Become ingenious and creative with your child and teach them to have a good oral hygiene. Good luck!

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Office Hours

Monday 7:10 AM – 5:10 PM*
Tuesday 7:10 AM – 5:10 PM
Wednesday 7:10 AM – 5:10 PM
Thursday 7:10 AM – 5:10 PM
Friday 7:10 AM – 5:10 PM*
*Alternating Every Other Monday/Friday*