Make Brushing Fun This National Children’s Dental Health Month

02 Feb Make Brushing Fun This National Children’s Dental Health Month

This month is National Children’s Dental Health Month, a month that is dedicated to the awareness of good oral hygiene in children. It’s a great time to brush up on what you know, and get your child back on track with their dental checkups. As a parent, you want the best for your child, and for their mouth. However, dental hygiene can be a tough issue for a parent to tackle. But fear not! Some of the difficulties can be mitigated by taking a different approach.

It’s no surprise that children learn best by doing and having fun, so including fun in an educational lesson is an excellent way to make it stick. If you need some help thinking outside the box, check out some the ways you can make dental hygiene enjoyable and exciting for children.

1. Get them their own special brush, tooth paste and dental floss

For best results, you want to keep your child’s interest in brushing their teeth alive and active. A good way to do it is to get them a fun and interesting toothbrush. Don’t forget to pick up a fun tube of toothpaste and dental floss. There are many fun options available for children’s toothbrushes and toothpastes, and dental floss can come in a variety of colors and flavors. Bonus points if you let your child pick it out!

2. Brush with your child

Children mimic what they see, so if you want to make your child interested in taking care of their teeth, you should be the one providing the good example. What an excellent way to correct any bad habits that you may have developed! Be sure to share your oral hygiene skills with them, and make it into a routine where you brush and floss your teeth together every day.

3. Go online

On the American Dental Association’s website, there are free templates, certificates, coloring sheets, puzzles, and more available for you to download. You can print out these activities and share them with your child at any time. This is an excellent, stress-free way to instill good habits and knowledge in your child.

4. Make it fun

Making the whole experience in itself enjoyable is the least stressful way to instill good habits, so be sure to include other factors to make this daily hygienic ritual fun and exciting. You can sing songs with your child, allow your child to brush the “teeth” of their favorite toy (along with their own), watch videos while brushing, tell stories about the tooth fairy, listen to music, the possibilities are endless so get creative!

5. Give rewards

Always give positive reinforcement and encouragement to your child, and be sure to reward them for a job well done. One way to do this is to give your child a sticker after every successful brushing session, or by giving them a hug. You can also give a boost in self-confidence by telling them how great of a job they did, or go do something fun afterwards together. Your child is more likely to continue practicing good oral hygiene if they have positive memories associated with it.