How to Teach Kids to Brush their Teeth

Dealing with a child who refuses to brush her teeth can be stressful. A good tooth brushing regimen is important to help children combat tooth decay.

According to dental hygienist Kim Czerwonka, it is vital to teach your kids to brush their teeth properly for good oral hygiene. If you are having a hard time teaching your kids to maintain a healthy dental hygiene, here are some fun techniques you can use to encourage your kids to brush their teeth properly. The following tips can make your children love brushing their teeth:

Source: Orthodontist Review

1. Set an example

Kids can get excited about brushing their teeth when they see that their parents are happy doing it. When the child is young, you are her biggest role model. Be a good role model for your child and brush your teeth in front of her every day.

2. Make it fun!

You can brighten up the routine to make it more fun to do. You can sing a silly song while brushing your teeth. Children like to hear fun stuff. Czerwonka recommends likening their brush strokes to train wheels. “Having kids think of the wheels of a choo-choo train helps them to brush correctly,” she says. She also added that encouraging your kids to create lots of bubble would help your child to enjoy brushing. You could make a contest with your child like bubble-making contest. The winner would the one who made most bubbles.

3. Don’t let them get scared by toothpaste

Toothpaste is the biggest factor for some kids to avoid brushing their teeth. As much as possible, make it a habit for your kids to pick up their brush every morning and evening, even if it means they brush without toothpaste. It’s not as effective, but you still achieve your main goal: teaching a new habit.

4. Be positive!

Never use dentists as a form of punishment. It would lead to scaring your kids to visit the dentist, instead of teaching them to love dentists. You can use positive reinforcement. If your child brushed her teeth regularly in a week, give her a reward. You can give them a special snack or toy. Remember, making your kids brush their teeth should not be a chore; make it something to look forward to. You can always spice things up with the tips mentioned above.