Brushing his or her teeth may not always be the item on your child’s agenda that they enjoy the most. However, properly brushing teeth is an essential life skill. It may be daunting to get your child to spend 2 minutes twice a day creating this lifelong habit. We have some creative ideas that just may help you make the process easier and fun.

One way to get your little ones to enjoy brushing their teeth is by brushing your teeth with them. Why not make brushing your teeth a fun routine that gives you and your child time to spend together. During this time you could give them specific brushing tips and ideas. You can also monitor their progress as they learn to brush just like you do.

At times we all have a lot going on in our lives. We may be tempted to let our child skip brushing or forget altogether. We recommend that you keep at it. The more routine brushing becomes, the easier it will be to ensure that it becomes second nature to your child. You can even set a timer or designate a time which your child is to brush daily.

It can at times be difficult for children to brush for two minutes continuously. Keeping your child still and focused entirely on brushing might be easier if you let them watch a video while doing so. Many educational videos exist that help guide your child through the brushing process. These videos typically last two minutes. Finding a video to assist you in the process may create a more enjoyable and productive tooth brushing experience for your child.

When children are just starting out brushing their teeth, the use of an electric toothbrush can be appealing. An electric toothbrush requires minimal physical motion to operate and much less dexterity than a non-electric toothbrush. Most electric toothbrushes are also designed with timers that indicate when brushing is complete. When looking for an electric toothbrush, we recommend finding something that is made for children specifically.

Think about what motivates your child? It could be stickers, a treat, anything that you could create a reward chart with. It could also be something as simple as complimenting your child on how their smile looks. You could praise your child when they do a great job of brushing their teeth with no complaints. Making your child feel good about brushing his or her teeth can go a long way in keeping that healthy smile.

Our office specializes in caring for children and helping them learn about the importance of oral hygiene. If you have a child who is having problems brushing teeth, feel free to stop by our office. We will take the time to show your child how fun brushing teeth can be and how important it is for them going forward.