Children are well-known for being cute, mischievous, precocious, and impatient, but people don’t typically think of them as enthusiastic about proper dental care. Getting your child started with proper oral hygiene is one of the best things you can do to help them enjoy excellent overall health for life, and making dental care a little more fun can make it easier for them to develop great habits. Here are a few ways to help your child get excited about protecting their teeth from infections and injuries.
Help Them Understand That They Need to Protect Their Teeth
Kids are inexperienced by nature, so they don’t realize the consequences of bad oral care and they may not be able to understand concepts like bacterial infections or how tooth loss will affect their daily life. To help your child learn the importance of excellent oral hygiene, explain to them what is at stake in a manner they can understand. For example, you can tell them that their teeth are surrounded by horrible sugar monsters, and they must slay these enamel-eating beasts with special weapons like toothbrushes and dental floss to protect their smile.
Brush Your Teeth with Them
Young children learn most of their habits by imitating adults, and you can use this to their advantage by modeling excellent oral hygiene for them. Make tooth brushing sessions a family affair so your child can observe how you gently clean your teeth with short, circular strokes as well as how you floss daily. This will also give you the chance to make sure that they are brushing their teeth sufficiently (at least two minutes each time!) and correct their habits so they can clean their mouths more effectively.
Find a Song for Them to Brush Along To!
Teachers have used music to help children learn for countless centuries, and you can help your child time their brushing sessions by letting them listen to a favorite song when they clean their teeth. When they brush, start the song and make sure that they continue brushing until the two-minute mark. Once they understand how long they need to brush, you can let them use the song to time their unsupervised brushing sessions.
Helping your kid develop excellent oral habits early is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. Consulting with your pediatric dentist can help you find the best ways to keep your child’s teeth in great shape.
About the Author
Dr. Bryce Cushing earned his dental degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and completed a pediatric residency at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. He is proud to serve as a member of the American Dental Association, the Nebraska Dental Association, and the Omaha District Dental Society. His office in Papillion offers children’s preventive, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about teaching your child good oral hygiene, contact his office online or dial (402) 773-7873.