Dentist Wheat Ridge: Teaching Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

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Teaching Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

There are many things you want to teach your child at an early age that they will be able to carry into adulthood. From table manners to being kind to others, teaching your child at a young age can help ensure that they keep those habits as they grow older. Healthy dental habits are one thing that you want to teach your kiddo at a young age.

When you teach your children healthy oral habits when they are young, they will likely keep those healthy habits throughout their teen years and into adulthood. There are many benefits to good oral hygiene, including more than just a healthy smile, but we will cover that in another blog.

Today, we want to give parents some tips for teaching their children how to brush their teeth and why it matters. At Aspen Hill Dental in Wheat Ridge, we understand the importance of developing good oral habits at a young age, which is why we want to discuss teaching your child good oral habits. Read on for tips and start working with your child now!

Make It a Routine

Routines help in a variety of situations, including teaching your child to brush their teeth. When you make sure that your kiddo brushes their teeth in the morning and before bed, they will develop a habit of following this routine and it will become second nature. Making sure that they follow this routine even after long days or while on vacation will help make it become a habit that they will follow as they grow older.

Set a Good Example

A lot of the things your children learn they learn from observing you. This makes it extremely important to set a good example in everything you do, including brushing your teeth. If your kids never see you brush your teeth, it can be difficult for them to understand why it is important that they do it. If your child regularly sees you brushing your teeth and flossing, they will be more likely to brush and floss too! You can make a point to brush your teeth together so that they always see you brush your teeth. To help scrub all of their teeth, have them copy your movement and follow your brush strokes. This is a great way to ensure your child is brushing all of their teeth and each side and not just the front few.

Make It Fun

Brushing your teeth is anything but fun. Most of us stand in front of the mirror, with our eyes glazed over, spacing out completely while we brush our teeth. While this is not an issue, this is not going to help teach your child to brush their teeth. Besides, they will develop this habit as they grow older. Instead, make your child’s tooth brushing time fun and exciting. Make a game out of it, play their favorite song and have a dance party, tell them stories, or do something else fun while they brush their teeth. Be creative and try making this time fun for your kiddos. This will help them enjoy the time they spend brushing their teeth.

Reward Good Behaviors

Rewarding your child for good brushing habits can help keep your child motivated and wanting to brush their teeth. A reward could be anything from letting them pick the book you read that night or letting them watch 10 extra minutes of TV. Even something as simple as telling your child you are proud of them is good enough to motivate some kiddos to keep up the good brushing habits. Ask to see their pearly whites after they have finished brushing and let them know how great their smile looks. Compliments like this are always a great motivator.

Use a Timer

Sand timers are always fun for kids, whether you are playing a game or timing something, it is fun to watch the small fragments of sand filter through the hourglass shape. Find a sand timer that is two minutes and use it while your child brushes their teeth. This will help them know how long to brush their teeth for and will keep them focused on the task.

Pick a Fun Toothbrush

There are many toothbrush options out there, especially for kids! Let your child pick a fun toothbrush that has their favorite TV show or movie character on it. You can even find options that sing songs for two minutes, which help your child brush their teeth for the right amount of time, makes brushing fun, and allows your kiddo to have a toothbrush that is fun for them! While you may not think the toothbrush matters, your child will be a lot more excited about brushing their teeth if they have a superhero toothbrush rather than a simple blue one.

These tips can help you get your kids to brush their teeth and develop healthy dental habits. When your child learns to brush and floss at a young age, they will be more likely to carry these habits into adulthood and keep their pearly whites pearly! We hope these tips helped you learn how to get your child to brush their teeth. Be sure to schedule a teeth cleaning for you and your child at Aspen Hill Dental in Wheat Ridge! We will help ensure your teeth are clean and healthy. Contact us today to learn more or ask any questions.