Children must be taught of the importance of oral health care as soon as possible. Learning proper oral health at an early age is crucial for long-term oral health.
Help your child develop a lifetime of healthy smiles by teaching them good dental care habits.
Here are some strategies that could help you.
Lead by example
The best way to teach your kids is by showing them how something is done. They learn faster that way.
Your kid should see you brushing your teeth when you wake up in the morning and before going to bed at night.
If you do this before they wake up or after they go to bed, change your routine so they can watch you. You can even let you help them you brush your teeth like how you help them with theirs.
Make it a fun time
Seeing you actually do it is a great start, but it would be a whole lot better if you’d make toothbrushing a fun time.
Be creative and make up a story, sing, or have them listen to a cute song about toothbrushing.
If you make it a fun and exciting activity, your kid will surely look forward to it.
Use an electric toothbrush
Another effective way to motivate your child to brush their teeth is by using an electric toothbrush.
Aside from looking like a toy which they’d be more excited to use, it also makes brushing fast, easy, and more efficient.
A water flosser instead of the usual thread floss will also be more interesting for them. For mouth rinses, use one with yummy color and flavor.
Gross them out
You kid will also be encouraged to improve their oral hygiene if they know what will happen if they don’t brush their teeth.
One way to do so is by using plaque disclosing tablets or solutions that would help show areas of plaque buildup.
Tell them that these areas are the ones they often miss but don’t forget to also show those areas that they were able to brush thoroughly.
If the plaque deposits have already turned into tartar, let them know that they need to visit the dentist to have them removed because simple toothbrushing won’t do.
Let them take over
Children aged six years old and above may be able to brush on their own so let them take over.
Kids’ dexterity at this age is enough for them to be allowed to take charge of their own dental care.
Just be sure to supervise them while doing it and inspect their teeth after to make sure that they have done it properly.
The American Dental Association recommends supervising your kids until age 8.
Better yet, ask them to brush along with you. You can also use a timer that will let them know when to proceed onto the next teeth.
Children live by their older people’s example, so it is up to you as a parent and role model whether or not they will stick with good dental habits.
Encourage them to brush and floss daily and watch them grow up with strong teeth and overall healthy mouths.