Our dedication to brushing teeth is a habit that we develop from childhood. That is why it is really important to hardwire good oral habits into our children while they are young. If we try to do it after they have developed their stubborn streak, the habits may not take root, and it may take a painful cavity to set the child on the right path. From a kid dentist to parents, here are some little hacks to get your child to adopt the habit of brushing twice a day for the rest of their lives.
Young children learn by imitation, and really young children want to be just like mommy and daddy. Most boys want to shave with daddy. Many girls try on mommy’s shoes and makeup. Use this to your advantage.
Make brushing a fun family event where the child can watch their parents brush their teeth and feel included. If the child just started brushing their own teeth, have fun by letting them brush your teeth the same way you used to brush theirs. The kid will absolutely love it. When young children feel included in ‘adult’ tasks, the tasks become ingrained into their subconscious. Which means that the child will likely never, ever forget to brush.
For an action to become a habit, it must be done consistently. Which is why family-fun-brush time should be done twice a day, every day. This is the best way to hardwire the habit of brushing the teeth into a kid.
To keep the kid interested, make a song and dance out of their teeth brushing. Don't just stand there quietly. Play the child’s favorite song and use different parts of the song to make the child brush different sections.
Mix it up to keep the child from getting bored. For a change, read the child a story that they like as they clean their teeth. By making teeth brushing a time to bond and have a little fun, the kid will associate teeth brushing with positive experiences. When they grow up, they may actually feel happy as they brush their teeth and remember the fun times they had with their family.
If the child does not like the feel of toothpaste, use water with a bit of salt to clean their teeth. This will make brushing a more pleasant experience for the child. There are also fruit-flavored types of toothpaste you can use.
If the child likes collecting things, give them a star or a sticker after they clean their teeth, or read them a bedtime story of their choice.
Young children are eager to learn and spend time with their parents. This makes it super easy to get them to brush their teeth twice a day. Once they get into the habit of brushing their teeth without fail, they will continue to do so as adults. Talk to one of our dentists for more tips for instilling good oral hygiene habits in children.
Request an appointment here: https://familychoicedentistry.com or call Family Choice Dental at (505) 634-5657 for an appointment in our Albuquerque office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Kid Friendly Dentist.
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