My Child Hates Brushing Their Teeth. What Do I Do?

Kids don’t always do what’s best for them such as swallowing pennies or jumping off of high objects. That is why they have parents to look out for them. But it can be difficult to guide children if they don’t want to do something like brushing their teeth. How can you encourage your child to develop good oral hygiene practices? Here are a few tips.

Dental Education

• Bring oral hygiene to the whole family by brushing your teeth with your children. You can guide them in correct teeth cleaning and show them how it is a daily habit.
• Plaque disclosing tablets are available at the stores to show the plaque collected on your teeth. Have your child use these tablets so they can see what they’re brushing away.

Toothbrush Power

• A fun toothbrush can make your child excited about oral hygiene. You can choose a toothbrush with their favorite color or a beloved movie character.
• Tell your child a story about how their toothbrush is fighting plaque. Pretend that their toothbrush is a cowboy or a superhero which defends teeth from plaque monsters.

Brushing Fun

• Tooth brushing can be a game to see if your child will finish brushing their teeth at the exact moment the sand empties in a two minute egg timer.
• You can give your child small prizes like stickers or pennies when they brush their teeth.