Fun Ways to Get Kids Excited About Caring for Their Smiles

Posted May 12, 2016

Do your children try to sneak off to bed without brushing their teeth, every single night? Is their morning routine filled with lots of whining about having to brush their teeth? If so, you are probably tired of feeling like one of the hardest parts of your job, as a parent, is simply making sure they take basic steps to keep their smiles healthy in between dental checkups. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to feel like torture trying to ensure your kids enjoy oral health. A few simple tactics can help make oral care more fun for the whole family.

Songs, Books and Other Help with Teaching Teeth Brushing

Everyone should brush his or her teeth at least twice a day. Over time, and especially for children, this can begin to feel like a burdensome chore. Fortunately there are some fun and unique ways to help make sure the process is done with a smile!

For younger kids, utilize videos of their favorite cartoon characters talking about, or even singing about, the importance of brushing one’s teeth.

There are also age-appropriate videos about proper technique for both brushing and flossing. Keep in mind that children will need assistance, initially. Around the time they learn to tie their own shoes, though, they should possess the dexterity to begin brushing on their own.

There are a wide variety of children’s books about oral care, as well. You can even find coloring books about the importance of tooth brushing. Reading these kinds of books at night, with your kids, is a great way to emphasize the importance of developing dental hygiene routines.

Of course brushing your own teeth with your kids can also help show them that dental care should become a lifetime habit.

Before taking your kids’ for their dental appointments, be sure to use positive language about the experience. That way they will not develop fears about visiting the dentist. If they are naturally anxious about the prospect of something new, help answer any questions they might have. This could help ease their fears.

Keep in mind that taking them to a pediatric dentist is one of the best ways to ensure they have great first experiences with dental care, since a pediatric dentist will specialize in treating children.