8 Ways to get your child to look after his teeth

How to get your child to look after his teeth

Put a chore chart for brushing teeth in the bathroom and get your child to mark it each time he brushes his teeth. You will be surprised how many times they “forget”. Print one of our teeth brushing charts.

Explain to your child the importance of looking after your teeth, how important they are to us, and how difficult it is without them. If you have a grandparent or relative with dental problems let them talk to your child about how they regret not looking after their teeth properly. If one of your children has lost a few teeth, take one and put it in a glass of Coke overnight. Show them what happens to the tooth in the morning. Now explain to them that the same thing will happen to their teeth over time if they are not brushed and cleaned.

Show your child how to brush his teeth. Parents often expect their children to know how to brush their teeth when it is totally not an instinct. If you do not know how to brush your teeth, then chances are you will not brush properly. Take your child to a dentist and/or oral hygienist and ask them to show your child how he should be brushing his teeth.

Brush your child’s teeth for him occasionally. If your child is young, then you should do this for him twice a day. The older he is, the more proficient and capable he will be and you can allow him to brush by himself more often.

Buy a timer and put it in the bathroom. Make sure that your child brushes for at least two or three minutes twice a day. You will be surprised how quickly kids finish brushing their teeth when they don’t have a timer. Before you can say Jack Robinson they have washed their brush, put toothpaste on, brushed their teeth, and rinsed. If it wasn’t sad, it would be quite funny.

Make sure that your child drinks water only. Sodas and fruit drinks should be allowed rarely (if at all) and should not be the norm.

Find a brand of toothpaste that your child loves. Sometimes, kids manage to find a toothpaste that they love using. Some kids want to brush their teeth so that they get to use their toothpaste!

Change your child’s toothbrush regularly. Toothbrushes should be replaced every three months.