Children are known for being cute, precocious, and fussy, but they are not usually thought of as being enthusiastic about proper oral hygiene. While teaching your kid excellent cleaning skills may be challenging at times, making dental care more fun can make the process easier. Here are a few excellent ways to help your child get excited about proper teeth cleaning techniques.
Explain Why Oral Hygiene Is Necessary in Ways Your Child Can Understand
Young children often do not understand why they need to brush their teeth, which can make them more resistant to building the habit. You might try to explain the issue by describing harmful oral bacteria as the horrible tooth-eating sugar monsters and toothbrushes and dental floss as magical weapons specially forged to slay them. If your child is more into superheroes, you might describe how the germs are a league of evil villains and toothpaste is a caped adventurer that can save their teeth from destruction.
Make Oral Hygiene a Family Affair
Children often learn best from example, and performing your oral hygiene routine alongside your kid can allow them to observe how you carefully clean each tooth with your toothbrush and gently treat the spaces between your teeth with dental floss. By imitating your actions, your child can learn proper brushing and flossing techniques early so they can carry these habits with them for life.
Set Brushing Sessions to a Favorite Song
It’s best to brush your teeth for two minutes at a time, and kids often have trouble staying interested in cleaning their teeth for that long. Luckily, you can make it easy for your child to understand how long they need to brush their teeth by playing a recorded song (or a segment of a song) that lasts for about two minutes while they are tending to their oral hygiene. This can help your child brush their teeth sufficiently every morning and night.
Developing excellent dental care habits early is the best way to achieve excellent oral health throughout your life. Making teeth cleaning fun for your child is a great way to set them up for many years with a beautiful grin.
About the Practice
Tic-Tac-Tooth Pediatric Dentistry offers the finest oral health care to the children of Naperville. Led by Drs. Jiana Panos, Asim Awan, and Sarah Specht, the staff ensures that each patient receives the utmost courtesy and compassion in a welcoming and kid-friendly environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about helping your child learn proper oral care techniques, contact the office online or dial (630) 995-3393.