5 Ways to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth
It’s always a challenge to get your kids to brush long enough and do a good job. And flossing? Maybe, maybe not.
Our dentist always says kids shouldn’t brush unsupervised until they can write in cursive (around 3rd Grade). Seems like a good rule.
Here are 5 easy ways to help make the nightly struggles of getting your kids to brush a little less of a challenge:
Model the right method: brushing together so your child can see how you do it is a great way for them to learn to mimic your behavior. Alternatively, have your older children brush with the younger ones to help model the right methods.
Make it a game: by playing a game, tell a story or singing a silly song, it can be more fun to brush. It helps kids associate their brushing habit with something positive.
Get a fun brush: there are lots of options out there for toothbrushes meant for kids over age 3. The ARM & HAMMER™ Spinbrush™ My Way!™battery-powered toothbrushes for boys and girls (www.brushmyway.com) offers all kinds of fun water-proof stickers like rainbows, soccer balls and dinosaurs so kids can really decorate however they would like. The spin brush also helps kids brush longer – one study suggests it extends brushing by 38%.
Our family also likes the Firefly toothbrush that blinks for 1 minute to encourage kids to brush longer.
Get fun toothpaste: Orajel™My Way!™Toothpaste offers both a fluoride and fluoride-free option. The floride-free version is gluten-free, dairy-free and contains no artificial dyes or flavors for kids 18 months and over. They also make an anti-cavity version containing floride for kids over 4. Kids can also decorate the tube just like their toothbrush.
Reward them: make a poster with stickers and set a goal. When the goal is completed, the child can pick out some sort of reward like a book or inexpensive toy. I’m not a huge fan of this idea just because brushing your teeth should be like any other habit, but maybe if you are having a real struggle it can work until it becomes second nature.
For more ideas, check out www.orajel.com and www.brushmyway.com. Also, I wrote a similar article two years ago that still works from an interview I did with our pediatric dentist, Dr. Richard Abrams that you can read here.
Marijo Tinlin is the Editor in Chief of Family First, one of the oldest family-oriented websites on the internet. She writes for Eagle Publishing’s Family Events, is the Managing Editor of www.myColoradoview.com and she runs a small business with her husband. She is also the author of a book about patriotism and teaching our children to love this country called “How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be American.” It features 13 interviews with patriotic Americans including Ed Meese, Erick Erickson and Jackie Gingrich Cushman. It’s available at www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com.