How to Teach Your Child to Brush Their Teeth

Without a doubt, a common challenge that comes with parenting is getting kids to brush their teeth two times a day for two minutes.  However, teaching your child proper brushing techniques will instill a lifetime of healthy habits for their oral hygiene.  

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To encourage your child to brush their teeth, you may liken brushing their teeth as fighting bad guys such as sticky plaque.  In addition, there are numerous videos, games, and apps for your child to interact with to make brushing their teeth more fun.  One way to get your child more invested in brushing their teeth is to try letting them pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste.  There are many child sized toothbrushes with soft bristles styled in a variety of colors and cartoon characters.  In addition, fluoride toothpastes are available in numerous flavors and colors.  However, be sure that any toothbrush or toothpaste you all decide on has the ADA seal of acceptance to ensure they do what they say.

Best Practices

It is advised to start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they appear.  Children younger than three should use just a small amount of toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice and between the ages of three and six should use a pea-sized amount.

The best practice for brushing is to place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to your child’s gums and gently move the brush back and forth in short, wide strokes.  Be sure to brush both the outer surfaces and the inner surfaces as well as the chewing surfaces of their teeth.  For cleaning the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up and down strokes.

Once your child is around the age of six, they should be just about comfortable brushing their teeth on their own.  Still, supervise your child to make sure they are using the right amount of toothpaste and spitting it out.  Playing music or letting them watch a video for two minutes will help keep your child focused while brushing their teeth.  

Making a reward chart and adding a sticker for every time they brush for two minutes, two times a day can help incentivize your child to want to brush their teeth.  Once brushing becomes a daily habit, it will be much easier to get your child to brush.

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