Did My Child Really Brush? Or Not?

Posted February 25, 2019

Letting your child brush on his or her own is a big deal! You’re not standing there watching every last stroke, offering advice, and actually seeing with your own eyeballs that dental care is complete! Sometimes, things go very well and your kiddo takes off like a little rocket, brushing and flossing like a pro! However, in many cases, that initial introduction to independent brushing doesn’t go quite so smoothly. The good news is that when you find yourself wondering for any number of reasons whether your child really brushed (and did a good job), our Dallas, TX team can help you figure out just how to respond!

#1: Your Kiddo Claims To Have Brushed…But The Brush Is Dry!

We remind patients that calling your child out for lying is probably not the best approach for you or your child. You want to be able to trust your kiddo and you want your child to be able to feel trusted! However, you also want to be sure that your kids are practicing dental care and building good habits. When kids skip brushing sessions, it isn’t surprising. This is also a sign that you may need to continue attending brushing sessions for a while (or re-join). Find a way to make brushing fun, become very consistent with the times that you brush, and then turn the responsibility back over to your kids (though, to get started, you may want to announce that it’s time to brush and then take a moment to check in to be sure brushing has begun).

#2: Your Child Claims To Have Brushed…But That Breath!

There are two things that may be going on here. First, it’s very possible that your child claims to have brushed but simply skipped a dental hygiene session or isn’t doing a very good job just yet. In that case, go ahead and refer to the aforementioned suggestion to sit in on brushing sessions again, so you can monitor everything for a bit longer. Or, consider the fact that your child may have a cavity or other issue that happens to have shown up. Come in for a checkup, so we may treat it or rule this out!

#3: Your Child Claims To Have Brushed But…It Took 10 Seconds

Of course, you are very aware that 10-second brushing sessions aren’t going to let your child avoid problems like decay and gum disease but you are impressed that your child has at least run through some form of dental care on his or her own. Don’t worry: This is a good start but we can help! Again, sit in on sessions but this time, add fun timer into the mix and explain that brushing must last until the timer runs out!

Maintain Consistent Brushing Habits At Home

When you are not sure how to approach giving your children more independence with their brushing habits, remember that we see kids and their parents every day! We will be happy to help with this and any other concern! Schedule a visit with your Dallas, TX children’s dentist, Dr. Marr at Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda by calling 214-321-4880. We proudly welcome patients from Dallas, TX, and all surrounding communities, including Casa Linda, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Forest Hills, East Dallas, Mesquite, Garland, Richardson, and more.