How can you teach your children to brush their teeth? Well, we have some ideas that might help you. We cannot guarantee they will work in every case, because each child learns in different ways, but you can try them out if you like.
First, it helps to understand how to brush so you can share it with your kids. The brush should be held 45-degree angle relative to the gums. You brush back and forth using short strokes on each tooth. You need to brush every side of your teeth and the tops too. When you need to get to the backs of your front teeth, you can switch to a 90-degree angle and brush up and down for convenience. And you polish things off by brushing your tongue to curb bad breath.
You can usually start teaching your children to brush around age six. They are usually prepared by that point, but others may be ready before or after that.
The one thing that will best help you teach your children is to be a model example of brushing yourself. Children often follow their parents example, so watching you helps them consider the idea. You may even try performing a demonstration, so they can see what they need to do.
Another idea you can try is playing brushing as a game. Since this is an instructional game, do not have winners and losers; you only need to encourage them to follow along with you. Reward them for imitating your brushing.
You can also try singing a song, which can be an already-existing one or one of your composition, in order to teach the steps and make it fun. If music is not a talent for you, it is okay to play a song on a device of some kind.
If you need some assistance with your children’s oral health, please come see us Smile Big Pediatric Dentistry in Humble, Texas. Our pediatric dentist, Dr. Shannon De Vera, is happy to help you there. To contact us, you can call 713-697-6453.