Discover How to Get Your Child to Brush
Teaching your child to
brush is a task that many parents have dreaded at one
time or another. Having your child brush, however, is
extremely important because it establishes good oral
habits that last a lifetime.
Start Your Child Early
The key to establishing good brushing habits is
starting an oral care program early. In fact, the
American Dental Association suggests that you begin
cleaning your baby's mouth the first few days after
birth.
After each meal take a wet washcloth and wipe
your baby's gums. This accomplishes three
things:
- It removes plaque that
accumulates on the gums.
Plaque is a sticky substance containing mucus, food debris,
and bacteria. Removing plaque prevents bacteria from
building up on your child's gums.
- It gets your child accustomed
to having a clean, plaque-free mouth.
When your child is accustomed to a clean, plaque-free
mouth, they will usually take steps, including brushing, to
keep this clean feeling.
- It gets your child accustomed
to you "meddling" in their mouth.
When your child becomes accustomed to you "meddling" in
their mouth, it becomes easier for you to brush their teeth
later. It also makes it easier for the dentist to examine
and work in their mouths at a later
date.
The First Baby Teeth
The baby's first teeth appear, on average, about
six months after birth. Parents may notice excessive
salivation and the child may become irritable while these
first teeth are coming in.
When teeth appear, use a cotton swab daily to
gently wipe the teeth and remove plaque. If your child
has not grown up tolerating you "meddling in their mouth"
you may have a much tougher problem. If your child is two
years of age and their teeth have not been brushed and
inspected by you, in all probability, plaque has not been
sufficiently removed.
Brushing Your Child's Teeth
Despite the protests and the fight your child
may give you, it is extremely important that you brush
their teeth to reduce the amount of placque causing
bacteria in their mouths. To reduce the amount of
bacteria on their toothbrush try using
VIOlight.
Parents, in fact, are
responsible for making sure their children's teeth are
clean until the child reaches five to six years of age!
This is because, on average, younger
children do not have the manual dexterity required to
brush teeth
effectively.
Why should
you go to great lengths to brush your child's teeth? The
most important reason is that tooth decay occurs faster
in children than in adults. By brushing your child's
teeth, you remove the plaque bacteria which are
responsible for this tooth
decay.
Another
reason to help your child learn to brush is that this
helps them develop a crucial habit which will last a
lifetime.
Make It Fun!
The key to getting your
child to brush is to make it fun. Start your program
today and look for fun ways to engage your children in
the activity. Make it seem as if if brushing is a fun
thing to do rather than a chore which must be
done.
One method that is fun and
effective is allowing your children to brush your teeth.
You should laugh a lot and make it a fun activity. Then
allow them to "brush" their own teeth. Finish by brushing
your child's teeth.You may want to include older siblings
in the
activity.
Alternatively, have your
child brush their favorite doll's teeth before you brush
theirs. Remember always allow them to "brush" their own
teeth and then follow up by brushing their teeth
correctly.
Use only a pea-size amount
of toothpaste on their toothbrush as larger amounts tend
to create excessive foam making it more difficult for
your child to
brush.
Make sure that your child
gets in the habit of spitting out the toothpaste.
Swallowing toothpaste on a consistent basis can lead to a
condition known as fluorosis, in which spots may appear
on your child's
teeth.
Be careful of the toothpaste
you use. Almost all toothpastes contain harsh flavorings
that adults barely notice, but that can sting young
mouths. This is one of the reasons children do not like
to brush. A safe toothpaste alternative for kids is
Enamel Saver Toothpaste for
Kids.
If your child still refuses
to engage in these toothbrushing games, make
toothbrushing appear as a fun activity they are missing
out on. Have mom and dad go up to the bathroom eager to
brush. Laugh a lot and make a lot of noise. Soon your
child will realize that they are missing out on something
fun and will want to join
in.
Your enthusiasm is
contagious! If you are enthusiastic about the activity,
your children will be enthusiastic. Children are great
emulators. They tend to want to do the things that their
parents do. If your children see you brushing your teeth
and displaying good dental habits, they will
follow.
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