4 Ways to Make Brushing Teeth Fun
In step with the widely accepted standard, our Grandville, MI, pediatric dentists recommend that your child receive a dental cleaning every 6 months unless directed otherwise. A routine cleaning and oral exam provide an opportunity to clean, polish, floss, and examine your child’s smile.
When it comes to oral care at home, however, parents must take charge and encourage children to brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss daily.
Here are 4 fun ways that you can consistently and for the appropriate length of time.
1. Play Songs
Turning a song on for 2 minutes is a great way to have fun while and preventing cavities. You can even join in and dance along with your child as they learn proper brushing techniques!
Pick one of their favorite songs that lasts at least 2 minutes or a song specifically about tooth brushing that they can enjoy. Bottom line: choose something that’s upbeat, fun, and motivating. It’s a bonus if it’s also educational!
2. Set a Timer
Kids love to see how fast they can be with tasks and if they break a personal record, the victory is even sweeter. A colorful sand or kitchen timer works great and allows children to visually see the time they still have left to brush.
A toothbrush with a built-in timer set to go off after 2 minutes is also an option to help keep your child engaged for the recommended amount of time.
3. Offer Rewards or Incentives
Responsibly promising a reward for proper teeth brushing can sometimes give children the motivation they need to get the job done.
Prizes do not have to be extravagant and can simply be an extra hour of story time or their favorite dinner once a week. You could also let them choose their favorite flavor of fluoride toothpaste next time you’re at the store.
Related Post → 4 Advantages of Using Fluoride
One idea is to create an oral hygiene chart. Let your child track their progress by placing a sticker each time they finish brushing their teeth. Once they’ve placed a certain number of stickers, then they can receive their reward.
Visual aids help children feel both involved in the process and focused on the task of fighting tooth decay.
4. Tell Stories
Children have extremely active imaginations so why not mix a little creative storytelling into their oral health routine? Relatable, fun stories can get young children excited and energized into having fun while they brush their teeth.
For example, tell them that there are “sugar creatures” that want to attack their teeth and if they brush well at least twice a day and for the full two minutes each time, they will defeat the pesky creatures.
If making a story off the top of your head isn’t your strong suit, try reading an age-appropriate book about to them as they brush.
Schedule a Dental Cleaning
Even with regular brushing and flossing, your child still needs a professional teeth cleaning in our dental office. A routine 6-month appointment allows our team of friendly pediatric dentists in Grandville, MI, to remove any hardened plaque or tartar and examine your child’s mouth for any damaging conditions.
Request an appointment for your child by contacting us online or call Grandville Pediatric Dentistry today at (616) 531-3430.
This blog post has been updated.