How to Make Teeth Brushing Fun for Your Child

As parents, we all have had our days where our child refuses to brush their teeth. It can almost feel like nothing will motivate them to take care of their oral health.

Nevertheless, we have picked up a trick or two that we are more than happy to share with struggling parents. Some will involve your participation, others will involve some creativity, but whatever keeps your kid healthy is worth it in our books.

Here are some of our favourite ways to keep brushing exciting and an activity your kid looks forward to!

Turn tooth care into a family affair by getting everyone together for bedtime brushing.

When kids see their parents and older siblings get excited about brushing their teeth, they can’t help but feel the same way.

Gathering in the bathroom to brush teeth and floss after dinner is a great way to make sure everyone in your family is getting in their bedtime brushing. This is also incredibly helpful to keep kids accountable when it’s been a long day and the temptation to skip brushing is there.

Take a Trip to the Store for a New Toothbrush

A fun toothbrush can be a motivating factor to encourage your child to brush more frequently. Plan a trip to the store with your child so that they can view the many themed toothbrushes that are offered. Often, they will choose a theme to match their favorite cartoon character or superhero. Picking a toothbrush helps the child to feel engaged in the decision to brush their teeth.

Incorporate Oral Health into Story Time

Finding different times of the day to reinforce the importance of tooth brushing can make a difference when you are rushing around at night or in the morning. For example, pick books out that encourage good oral hygiene and read them together

Try Some Experiments

Visuals and experiments are great ways to help children learn lifelong oral hygiene habits. Since children can’t see plaque, it can be hard for them to understand why they need to brush their teeth. To give them a good visual, you can buy plaque disclosing tablets at the pharmacy. When your child chews one of these tablets, it will dye the plaque on their teeth so they can see it and brush it away. Another great experiment involves eggs and soda. Have your child place hard-boiled eggs in soda. Leave the egg in the soda for a few days so your child can physically see what happens to teeth when you drink soda and don’t brush.

Play “Dentist”

Some very young kids might feel afraid of a toothbrush or having a dentist examine their mouths. This is completely normal and can make for a great opportunity to play with your child.

Role-playing as a dentist and allowing your child to brush your teeth or look in your mouth shows them there’s nothing to fear. You can even purchase toy dental kits online to really make playtime feel more realistic. As your child grows more confident you can take turns being the dentist and the patient.

The Most Important Tool

When dealing with a fussy brusher, it may feel impossible to keep their oral health at its best. It won’t be the end of the world if they miss one brushing, however, skipping out on dentist visits can be worse. After all, we are here to help when parents might not know what to do.

If you need assistance in educating your little one on how brushing their teeth is important or just haven’t been to the dentist in a while, give Treehouse a call and we will be more than happy to book your child in.