Every parent has been through the dreaded stage where their children will not brush their teeth without putting up a fight. If you have never experienced this, you are extremely lucky. You may have to remind them a million times and coerce them with treats or other means. It can be a nightmare getting our kids to look after their teeth on their own. Here are a few tips that may work for you.
Let Them Pick Their Toothbrush
Sometimes, all it takes to inject a little fun into their usual routine is to have a fun toothbrush. There are all kinds of toothbrushes that will make your kids more likely to brush their teeth without having to ask a hundred times over. These include ones that sing or play a tune for two minutes, the time it should take them to brush their teeth. Check out fun toothbrushes that will sure to pique an interest with your kids.
Tell Them Why It Is So Important
Each morning, we may be asking our children to brush their teeth, but have you ever sat down with them and explained why? Some children do not like being told what to do for the sake of it. Explaining why we brush our teeth and what can happen if you don’t may help your child to understand why it is something they must do each day. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that can help you to explain this to them in a fun and interesting way.
Lead by Example
Showing that you are doing the same thing as them each day may make your child more willing to brush their teeth. This may mean brushing your teeth with them each morning and night. Leading by example means taking good care of your teeth and having good teeth yourself. If you have teeth that are broken, chipped or missing, you may want to fix this to set a good example to your children. You can find board certified surgeons such as Lifetime Teeth Today who offer a great range of dental implants for all your needs, whether you have one tooth that needs replacing or a few. When your children will see you prioritizing dental visits and adhering to a routine, they are more likely to follow in your footsteps. You can impress upon them the fact that good dental care is a lifelong commitment by taking them for regular children’s dentist appointments. Children should ideally see the dentist every six months for check-ups and cleanings and regular dental visits are a key part of good oral health. This helps in monitoring their developing teeth and preventing potential issues.
Make It Fun
If you are really struggling to get your child to look after their teeth without having to sit down with them every night and brush them yourself, then you may need a distraction. This may be when they get to watch their favorite TV show, as long as they are brushing their teeth at the same time. You may want to make this story time; while your child brushes you can read them a book, making sure they brush their teeth without it being a hassle.
Getting your child to want to look after their teeth can be difficult but sometimes, all it takes is explaining to them just why we do it. If that doesn’t work, try brushing together and make it fun. A rewards system is always helpful too if you are stuck for ideas.
Well, initially all these may seem fun, but they might prove tiring after a while. And what about the days you are not home, and your child out of his laziness, skips brushing? In the long run, it might end up giving him oral issues such as a cavity, decay, or gum problems. And he may suddenly one day start complaining about his toothache, which might require you to take an emergency appointment with a dentist (maybe finding one from a website similar to https://www.1800dentist.com/directory/service/emergency-dentist).
To avoid one such scenario, however, you can get him visited by a dentist at least once a month as a precautionary measure. And who knows, being scared of the sharp tools the dentists use, your child may adopt dental hygiene. So, a win-win!
