Make Brushing Teeth Fun, Not a Chore!
Tooth brushing with your kids can be a fun, family time that will help keep everyone healthy.
The recommended time for tooth brushing is 2 whole minutes, which can feel like an eternity, especially to kids. It may seem difficult to keep kids brushing the entire time, but there are some simple and fun things that you can do to keep them going!
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Give them choices.
Toothbrush options are limitless. Bring your kids with you when you shop for a new toothbrush and let them pick. Children’s toothbrushes come in all kinds of varieties and colors, so let them choose their favorite character (Batman, Minions, Barbie). On top of that, there are countless toothpaste choices! Make sure that you pick one that is ADA approved, but otherwise let your kids try a new toothpaste every time you need a new tube to keep things entertaining!
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Play a game.
There a lots of fun toothbrushing games to play. You can count each tooth as they brush and cheer as each one is clean. You can play “chase the sugar bug” and pretend that the toothbrush is chasing the germs away. You can also pretend to be animals and make faces at each other in the mirror while you brush. Open wide like a crocodile, show your teeth and growl like a tiger, yawn and show all your pearly whites like a hippo!
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Musical brushing.
Nothing makes the time pass more quickly than a song! There are all kinds of fun brushing songs that you can look up on YouTube. There are also great apps (like Brush DJ and Brusheez) to help make the brushing time go faster!
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Reward good brushing.
A reward isn’t a bribe, and it doesn’t have to be extravagant. You can choose small rewards for good brushing, like reading their favorite book, or playing a game together. You can also make a weekly chart to reward your kids with stickers, or a monthly chart that ends in a bigger reward like a trip to the movies.
No matter how you choose to reward your kids, teaching them to brush properly will help them for their entire lives. A little creativity can go a long way toward turning something that is a chore, into the best part of the day! For more ideas or to schedule your family’s next professional cleaning, give us a call at Richview Family Dentistry. We pride ourselves on our warm, welcoming environment where you’ll actually enjoy a visit to the dentist!