Tooth decay, also known as cavities, constitutes one of the most prevalent chronic diseases that affect children. Infections and pain from untreated cavities can disrupt your daily routine and cause eating, talking, or playing issues. Children with oral health problems are more likely to miss school and struggle academically.
Dental hygiene is essential at any age, but it’s essential for children especially. The formative years are crucial in helping to build the foundation to ensure a lifetime of oral health. But we know that teaching kids about tooth brushing can be challenging, dirty, and sometimes even challenging. There needs to be a lot of determination, confidence, and motivation to be successful.
How can you convince your children to clean their teeth?
Even though you should begin brushing your child’s mouth as soon as they show the first tooth, which is about six months, you may need help getting your child to participate until they’re much older. However, you can take steps to make brushing more fun and suitable for your child.
1. Personalize Their Brushing Experience
Giving your child the option of choosing their toothbrush and toothpaste could be an easy way to make brushing fun. However, it is only possible if the toothbrush has soft bristles and the toothpaste includes fluoride. Let your child be the boss in what they use to clean their teeth will make them feel more involved with the procedure.
According to reputable dental facilities like Invisalign Oakville, many children’s toothbrushes feature their most-loved cartoon characters. Additionally, toothpaste with a bubblegum flavor can be particularly well-received by the intended audience. Remember that children younger than 3 need to consume a grain of rice’s worth of toothpaste each time, and kids between the ages of three and six only require a teaspoon.
2. Compare Before and After Pictures
You can usually find the three-ring binder or brochure showcasing dental restoration success stories, including before and after pictures, in the waiting area at any dental facility. These pictures are designed to promote the practice to people experiencing similar dental problems. Parents can use these images to educate their children about the dangers of not looking after their teeth.
You should seek out restorations that have been completed due to decay. Consider the cost of dental work (such as extractions, fillings, replacement teeth, and teeth whitening Abbotsford) against more tangible items the kid might want, like new video game consoles brand, new bicycles, or even a new computer.
3. Establish a Bedtime Routine
Assist your kids in brushing their teeth, reading a story (or two), and retiring to sleep each night simultaneously. Making bedtime rituals that promote early reading age, healthy eating, and good dental hygiene can help your family get on the right track.
Many books in childrens dentistry Saskatoon concerns dental hygiene using a child’s perspective, making it easier to relay the message to their level of understanding.
4. Be Creative
If your child is more problematic than rigorous monitoring can handle, try making brushing enjoyable. One fun method to encourage your child to participate in brushing but not make it the main event is to have small dance parties to an upbeat tune while you are doing it.
You can turn it into a game and give rewards at your children’s expense. Create a weekly chart of their toothbrushes and provide a small incentive for your child once they’ve filled all the slots.
5. Make It a Family Time
It’s true that your kids probably want to be just like you, so if you wash your teeth each day and evening, it could rub off onto them. One way to accomplish the same goal is simply taking just a few minutes from your morning and evening routines to floss your teeth. If you make this a regular occurrence before they reach a particular threshold, they will never question it or try to grasp the reason or why behind it.