Teaching Your Child How to Brush Their Teeth: 5 Tips for Success

Teaching your child to brush their teeth can seem like a difficult thing to do. While you may know how important it is to take proper care of your teeth, you may also know that brushing your teeth is not the most fun activity a kid can think of.

So, how can you teach this very key skill to your child and make sure they pick it up as a habit?‍

1. Set An Example

Like with most things, your children will be interested in what you are doing and will follow your lead. Setting a good example is key. Brush in front of them, use the proper technique and do it for the full dentist-recommended two minutes. The more often you show them how to do it the right way, the more likely they are to do it themselves.‍

2. Start Early

The earlier you begin to show your children how to care for their teeth, the better their dental health will be. You can start when they're very young, brushing their teeth for them to get them used to the feeling of the brush and toothpaste in their mouth. This can help when you teach them to do it on their own.‍

3. Make It Personal

When they are ready to learn to brush on their own, it can help to let them make it their own. Let them choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste. Toothpaste taste is something that can be a bigger issue than it seems. Some kids do not like mint, but there are a variety of flavors available so you can find one that works if mint doesn’t. If they think their toothbrush is cool and they like the taste of their toothpaste, they are much more likely to want to brush and they will remember to do it when they need to.‍

4. Reward Them

‍Giving them a reward when they brush is a great way to motivate them to keep doing it. Giving them a small prize for brushing, something like a sticker or an extra bedtime story, helps them build brushing into a habit.‍

5. Make It Fun

There are a lot of ways that you can work a fun activity into the time that your child needs to take care of their teeth. Music videos, apps, or games are all options that encourage your child to brush for the whole two minutes and maybe even look forward to brushing.

Keep Your Child Smiling with Regular Dental Visits

These five tips can help build good habits. Another good habit for oral health is seeing a dentist regularly. You can book a time to see us at Water Valley Dental by contacting Dr. Daniel Banks and his team. We will make sure your child has a positive experience and every procedure is comfortable and efficient. ‍

Call us now to book their appointment.