Tricks to Get Your Kids to Brush and Floss

Oral hygiene is extremely important in your daily routine. From helping you be healthy during pregnancy to ensuring total health throughout your life, taking care of your teeth and gums is a lifelong task that can help you keep your teeth healthy well into your golden years.  

This is why teaching your kids proper oral hygiene from a very young age is imperative. While many young children take naturally to it and think it's a really fun experience, others need to be persuaded. Even those kids who love it need to learn how to do the steps properly, though. 

If you’re struggling to convince your children to brush and floss every day, then this guide can help you. I have amassed several tried and true methods to help your children to care about their oral health. 

Incentives and Rewards

Bribery seems like an awful thing to do, but in many cases, setting incentives can prove to be a very powerful motivator. If your children are reluctant to perform their task, then set up a calendar. Offer stickers each day, a small reward each week, and a large toy each month that they brush and floss every morning and evening. Treat it similar to potty training. Eventually, it will set a habit and become a natural part of their routine. 

You don’t even need to do full out bribes if you can’t afford to. Smaller incentives work just as well. If your child likes to read, maybe they can earn an extra bedtime story. If they're fond of gaming, then they can work towards an extra 10 minutes on an iPad or Xbox. Take them for a fun experience like a trip to the park, or let them earn a sleepover with a friend. 

Use Fun and Safe Products

A lot of very young children can't quite get the concept of not swallowing toothpaste. For this reason, very young kids should use non-fluoride kinds of toothpaste made especially for children. For children who hate the brushing process, try using flavored toothpaste in fun colors. 

Buy toothbrushes that feature their favorite characters and toothpaste in their favorite flavors. Use fun things like sparkles, and noises to help them establish that brushing their teeth isn’t something to dread. Older kids who have become bored with the brushing process may respond well to electric toothbrushes, which even come in versions that will light up and play music for them. 

Speaking of toothpaste, a common mistake that grown-ups make is using too much toothpaste. Use only a little bit of toothpaste so your kid's mouth doesn't end up too full of unpleasant froth to properly brush. 

Flossers are a great way to teach kids how to floss. The string can be really difficult to wield and too thick for children.Flossers are easy to hold and use, and the floss tends to be thinner and more forgiving for children. 

Make It Fun!

The 2 minutes it takes to properly care for your teeth will seem like an eternity to children who want to play or have bedtime stories. Make this a fun activity for them! Why become a taskmaster, when you could have a Tooth Brushing Party? Play your kid's favorite song and throw a dance party while they brush.

You can also use apps targeted at children’s oral hygiene. Cartoons and games will make the time feel much shorter to kids. You can also start a favorite show, or tell them a goofy story. Brush your teeth at the same time as them to turn it into a parent-child bonding experience! 

Use Their Favorite Characters

Did you know that a lot of popular children's shows actually address topics like oral hygiene? Sesame Street and other shows regularly have episodes about brushing teeth. In fact, as an adult, I still remember the goofy fish singing to me, "never let the water run!" 

Look online for episodes about brushing teeth from your children's favorite shows and you may be surprised what you can find. There are also a lot of bedtime storybooks that mention how important it is to brush your teeth regularly, and reading these to them while they're sleepy will help it sink into their brains. 

Take Them to the Dentist

A lot of parents don’t take their young children to the dentist as regularly as they should because they don’t think they are as likely to develop dangerous cavities and problems, and they hate seeing their children crying and scared.

Make sure you take them to the dentist early. Pediatric dentists receive lots of extra training specifically geared towards children. They know about how to help kids stay healthy but they also know how to handle their emotional needs and talk to them on their level.

If your child starts going to a dentist the moment their first tooth appears, they'll be less likely to develop a fear of the dentist. Their dentist can partner with you to teach them all about their mouths and how important it is to brush and floss.

Disclosure:  This post has been contributed by Dr. Amanda Tavoularis (dentably.com)