An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but it will take a whole lot more work than that to get your kids into the habit of proper oral health. Since oral health is the pathway to overall health, drilling these important habits into your child’s head early on can be key to their overall growth.
So, how can you get a person of such a young age to understand the essentials of dental care? It can be a challenge, that’s for sure. Many kids might even be resistant to brushing their teeth initially, or might not do so in a way that will be beneficial for them in the long-term.
How can you encourage children to get over this hump? What strategies might help yield results? Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
Routine Is Everything
All of us, whether we are children or adults, thrive off the repetition of a continued routine. The more we do something at the same time, in the same place, in the same way. The more we’re able to internalize these actions and bring them into our life.
Getting your kids into the proper habit of teeth brushing can make getting them into an oral hygiene routine much easier. The more the repetition kicks in, the easier it’ll be on you to help them maintain this habit.
Allow them to miss a morning or fall out of the flow of things? You might find it more difficult than you’d expect to get them back on track. Once a child accepts something as part of the routine of the day, there will be less resistance to it.
Set a specific time for them to brush their teeth both in the morning and at night and stick to it no matter what other surprises may come up. You may find that they start handling it on their own with your help required!
Brush Your Teeth Together
Children, despite their push for independence, generally like to do what they see other people do. This would include the very act of brushing one’s teeth. If you make time to brush your teeth alongside your child, you’ll be doing a lot of good in pushing them to take up good dental habits themselves.
If they see you brush your teeth, the desire to do this same activity will increase. It will also help prove that you practice what you preach. If you are brushing your teeth every night, the importance of the act will seem more pronounced.
Not only this, but it allows them to watch and learn from you. They’ll be able to copy your movements and you’ll be able to demonstrate things in a more easy-to-understand manner.
Brushing your teeth together also will allow you to watch over your child while they brush, making it so that you can correct them on certain things if need be. It will allow you to do this without seeming like you’re hovering or being overly protective.
No one likes a backseat brusher, not even a kid!
Don’t Brush for Them
There might be an overwhelming feeling that you should reach out and take matters into your own hands. Brush your kids’ teeth for them and ensure that their dental health is as good as it can be during this sensitive age.
However, this would be a major mistake and will prevent them from learning what they need to learn at this impressionable age. This expert dentist in Charlotte says that it is necessary for the first 2 years that you brush your child’s teeth. But once they hit the age of 3, they should start learning to brush on their own.
Kids want to do things on their own. They don’t want everything done for them. Brushing your child’s teeth for them can frustrate them, promote arguments, and make the whole process less enjoyable.
These negative feelings can push a child away from probably oral habits in general.
It’s important to park your overprotective parent during this time and allow your child to do as they will when it comes to their brushing. They’ll develop the motor skills and muscle memory over time to keep brushing properly into their later years.
Praising them, giving them tips, and offering suggestions are all helpful. But do avoid taking that brush into your own hand and removing that power from them. If there are a few areas they seem not to be able to get on their own, you can do it for them at the end of the process.
This will give your child some sense of pride and they can brag to the local dentist for children in your area about their healthy teeth.
Use Rewards if Needed
If you’re looking to motivate a child of a young age, there are few easier ways to do so than through a reward system. Kids love rewards of any shape or size and if you can link these rewards to proper tooth brushing.
You might just have an easy victory on your hands, as far as dental hygiene goes.
Create a chart that you can keep on the bathroom wall and give your child a small reward each time they complete an oral health task. It might be a quick bedtime story, a sticker, or something simple like that.
Avoid candy and treats that will be at odds with what you’re currently teaching them about oral health.
Dental Care for Kids
If you’re hoping to teach your children about proper dental care, you’ll need to do so in a way that will capture their attention and care. The above advice can help you discover different ways in which to do this, from creating a rewards system to maintaining a proper routine.
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