How to Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids

When you’re a parent, there are various battles you face. Getting them to bed at a reasonable time… or at all, getting them to eat their greens and finish their dinner before they have some ice cream and encouraging them to brush their teeth. If you have ever had to deal with a whining, crying and generally unpleasant child just because you dared put a soft-bristled toothbrush loaded with tasty minty toothpaste, then we sympathize with you.

To help you in your hour of need, as it’s important for your kid’s overall health and well-being as well as their oral hygiene, to brush your teeth, we look at some tips for making the whole process a lot more fun.

Lead by Example

Kids learn the importance of different activities by the example you set. We all know that young girls are often enthralled by their mother’s skincare and makeup routine, just as boys learn about shaving watching their dads.

The same is possible when it comes to brushing teeth. Introduce the idea of oral hygiene by allowing them to watch you brushing and flossing your pearly whites. Make everything exaggerated and put on your biggest and best smile to show them that it is actually enjoyable and not something to fear.

Reward Them

One of the best ways to inspire children that something is beneficial, even a task like brushing their teeth, is by offering them a reward. Why not invest in a calendar or some other kind of chart that outlines each day of the week and for every day and night they brush their teeth, they get a sticker. To make the deal a little sweeter, you could even give them a bigger reward for completing a full week of brushing or even a full month, depending on their age.

Involve Them

While you may want to take the lead to ensure every inch of their precious teeth are cleaned to perfection, you should try to involve them in the process wherever possible. We all know that there’s a certain age when children want to do it all themselves.

Giving them a measure of independence, that suggests to them that it’s a grown-up thing to do, may be just the thing for getting rid of the stigma that seems to be attached to it all.

Turn it into a Game

Kids are interested in having fun, so if you can turn brushing their teeth into some kind of game, they are bound to be more positive about it. Perhaps you could suggest that there are super bugs that live in sugar that they need to protect their mouth from. Really emphasize that the only weapon powerful enough to defeat these bugs is a toothbrush loaded with toothpaste.

If you are having a horrendous time trying to get your kids to brush their teeth, you’re not alone. With the above tips and suggestions, though, you should find it much easier.