3 Ways To Promote Good Oral Health In Your Children

11 January 2016
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

Share

Going to the dentist isn't exactly at the top of anyone's list. However, your dental health is important and shouldn't be ignored. You have to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your teeth looking amazing. As a parent, you have to instill good habits in your children. Getting them to brush their teeth isn't always easy. However, there are a few things you can do to get your little ones excited about brushing their teeth. Not only will this make trips to the dentist more enjoyable, but it instills good habits now and for the future.

Let them pick their own toothbrush.

Giving children the freedom to pick their own toothbrush helps them feel in control. They will want to brush their teeth more because they got to choose the brush. Instead of giving them a boring yellow toothbrush, let them choose one with their favorite superhero or cartoon character. When children feel in control of the situation, they are more apt to do something without putting up a fight.

Make brushing time a contest.

What better way to make brushing your teeth fun than to turn it into a game? Race to see who can get their teeth cleaner faster. Set a timer that goes for two minutes and see who has the best looking smile at the end of the time. See who can get all of the food particles off of their teeth in the time allowed. Whoever does it, wins. Try incorporating this with some of the mouthwash that shows where any staining or food particles lie to get a better idea of how clean their mouth is.

Use terms they understand.

When talking about the dentist and oral hygiene, make sure you use terms that they understand. Don't use words like drill, cavity, shot or other scary words. Talk in a positive tone using words like sugar bugs, counting teeth, and so on. This will put children's minds at ease when it comes time to go to the dentist and get a checkup. Children love to be praised for doing something good. Going to the dentist to see how they are doing on cleaning their teeth can be rewarding when using the right context.

By going through the three things above, you can make sure your children are happy and excited about oral hygiene and going to the dentist. This will prevent you from having to fight with them when it comes time to get a checkup or filling done. If you ever have any questions about what you can do to help promote good oral hygiene, speak to a dental provider like Kids Dental Tree.