Tips for Getting Children to Brush Their Teeth

It is easy for parents to overlook the importance of regular tooth brushing and proper dental practices in toddlers and small children. Many parents believe that, because baby teeth will be falling out eventually anyway, tooth brushing is not as important for small children as it is for adults. This is not true, as the mouth needs to be healthy in order to create the proper environment for permanent teeth to form, and teaching your child good dental practices now can help prevent problems with their dental hygiene later in life.

Getting toddlers and small children to brush their teeth without a massive battle can be a real challenge. I had a very difficult time getting my children to brush when they were younger, but discovered some tricks that made the job more fun and easier to deal with. Some of the tricks that work for one of your children might not work for another, and I found that using a combination of the below tips and techniques better motivated my own children to brush than sticking with one idea alone. A few suggestions for getting your toddler or small child to brush their teeth without a fight are included below.

1) Let your child pick out his own toothbrush and toothpaste. You can even encourage him to choose more than one at the store, and then let him have the choice of deciding which to use each time he brushes his teeth. This will give your child a sense of control over the situation and make him feel more involved in the process.

2) Buy your child some books about the importance of tooth brushing, and make a daily routine of reading those books before heading to the bathroom sink each day.

3) Make a game of good dental practices. Have the children in your house race to see who can brush their teeth the fastest, or see who can last the longest before they run out of toothpaste. One game I played with my children was having them compete against each other to see who could make the least amount of toothpaste mess.