Brushing your child’s teeth should not be a daily rendition of an atrocious horror story. If it’s such a struggle getting your child to brush his teeth, you are not alone.
Having your young one embrace the early habit of cleaning his teeth may be a challenging task, but it is certainly an important one. Your child may respond differently to the usual brushing techniques other children his age would, so you may need to add a dose of creativity to get your child brushing in no time.
Here are a few tricks that may encourage your children to enjoy brushing:
- Make toothbrush shopping special. Let your child pick out his own toothbrush. Colored, cartoon themed or even those that light up when squeezed - there are plenty of choices available in the market. Alternatively, you can buy identically colored toothbrush just for you and your little one.
- Practice makes perfect. Let your child enjoy brushing the teeth of his favorite stuffed animal. You may even let him brush yours! When he’s done, give him a chance to brush his own teeth. Be sure to follow up with ‘polishing touches’ to make sure his teeth and gums are thoroughly cleaned.
- Show your child that brushing is fun. If he’s hesitant about letting you brush his teeth, let him watch you as you carefully brush yours. Children love to copy what adults do and this could be the key to getting him engaged in taking care of his own oral health.
- Add spice to the routine. While he tries to brush his teeth, make up silly words and dance along!
- Brush away the pinky plaque. Give chewable tablets that turn plaque pink a try, and playfully persuade him to brush away the color with his toothbrush.
- Name that tooth. Make him understand that each member of his pearly whites is important. Let your child give each tooth a nickname and remind him that not a single toothy character should be left out.
- Be your child’s very own tooth fairy. Don’t forget to praise your child and reward him for a job well done!
- Flavor counts. Let him choose the flavor that appeal to his taste. This could be the single most important key to getting him hooked on brushing. Also, be sure to use toothpaste that's specially made for kids.
Brushing should not be a chore. Don’t lose your heart if your child doesn’t develop a liking to brushing right away. Make the habit so much fun that he won’t be able to resist the urge to pick up his toothbrush next time!
