In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, we want to supply you with ideas on making dental care fun for your kids. If it feels like a chore or if it is a struggle, kids may resist the habit. On the other hand, if it is fun your kids will more likely be proactive in their own dental hygiene. They just may surprise you and ask to brush and floss. We have gathered these tips from various places. Some are from dental professionals, some from parents and some are even from kids. It is our mission to develop good habits at an early age to help your children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
- Invite your child to brush your teeth first. Then switch and brush theirs.
- Ask your child where they would like to brush their teeth.
- Count out loud as you brush teeth (e.g., “Tooth number 1 is clean, tooth number 2 is clean….”).
- Invite your child to rinse their mouth with water or teach them to swish water around in their mouths. They will probably love spitting it out!
- Turn the oral care routine into a funny-face contest or make it a Simon Says game by calling out different parts of the mouth. The whole family will complete the routine and see who can go the longest without laughing!
- Keep a timer in your bathroom. Let your child set it for one minute. Brush the top teeth. Have them set it for another minute and brush the bottom teeth.
- Give them a sticker each time they brush.
- Pretend to brush your child’s stuffed animals’ teeth or ask if your child wants to show his/her stuffed animal how to brush.
- Wipe their teeth with a washcloth, if they are resisting the toothbrush.
- Empower your kids by letting them choose a fun, colorful toothbrush made just for them, a cool and flavored toothpaste, and type of floss.
- Buy a toothbrush that plays a 2 minute song.
- Have a friendly competition. Who can make the most foam? Who can brush the longest without having to spit? (Do be careful not to encourage swallowing.) Who can sing the loudest while still brushing away the bacteria?
- Use funny voices or songs to make it more interesting.
- Buy several toothbrushes with different themes and let your child choose a different one each time they brush.
- Watch videos with characters taking care of their teeth. Here is Crawford the Cat.
- Use a puppet that enjoys brushing teeth.
- Show your children a three minute clip of their favorite show or let them dance to their favorite song while brushing. This will encourage them to brush for the recommended and necessary length of time, and distract them while doing it.
- Make a big deal for a job well done! High fives, praises, jumping up and down, cheers,
- Tack or tape a few photos of your kids’ favorite role models, heroes, movie or TV stars, or singers–flashing their pearly whites–onto the bathroom wall. This will remind your kids that a bright smile not only goes a long way in Hollywood and elsewhere, but it is also a great way to brighten up each day.
- Make up a game.
- Explain how little bugs (bacteria) get on teeth and eat tiny holes into them, causing pain. They may want to clean off the bugs! Don’t share this if you feel it might scare your more sensitive child.
- Share the importance of dental care through fun activities. Click here for a full set of activity sheets for your kids!
- Purchase a water flosser.
- Rewrite a classic children’s songs to fit the theme of dental care.
- Be casual about toothbrushing, like it’s just one of the things done each night, like putting on pajamas and reading a book.
- Reward your child for healthy teeth!
- Brushing, flossing, and rinsing can all be rhythmic activities. Play some of your kids’ favorite music so they can enjoy their oral care routines. On average, brushing should last about two minutes and rinsing 60 seconds. Together these activities may last the length of a typical song.
- Brush together.
- Read books about good dental care.
- Make up silly songs to sing while brushing our teeth.
The staff of Bolivar Family Dental is proud to serve our young patients. We work very hard to make their experience fun and comfortable. Feel free to call us with any questions or concern and to schedule a six month check up for your kids. (417) 777-8654