How on earth do you get a child that hates brushing his or her teeth to actually do it each day? Is there a way to stop the battle and create children that are willing and able to get their teeth clean when they brush? Here, you'll find a few tips that might make things a little easier for you to keep up with your kids' oral hygiene.
Create a Brushing Station
Kids love having some kind of power over the things that they are forced to do each day. Creating a brushing station in the bathroom will give them a small sense of power over the situation. The brushing station will look much like the toothbrush and toothpaste aisle at the store – it will include a few different flavors of toothpaste and mouthwash, as well as a few different options for flossing and maybe some toothbrush options.
If the kids are given the freedom to choose the products that are used to brush their teeth, it will make it more fun for them and less work for you. Then, you can continue to add to the brushing station and give the kids even more options. Routine is great, but having some options while sticking to that routine is better.
Give Praise and Rewards
Make sure that you acknowledge the good work that the kids are doing when it comes to caring for their teeth. Kids are happiest when they feel that you're proud of them and that they're doing something right. Take the time to check their teeth and commend them on the good work that's been done, or show them what they can do to improve their brushing techniques – don't just tell them it's not good enough and send them back – help them and make them feel good about the effort that's been put into their attempt.
When they do get it right, make sure to give them a reward of some sort. You can use the old-fashioned sticker charts to build up points –when they accumulate so many points, they get to go out to their favorite restaurants or a trip to a toy store to pick up a little something special. When kids have something to work towards, they'll work harder to reach the goal that's been set.
Talk with the kids' dentist to learn more about what you can do at home to keep up with good dental care every single day.
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