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Is your child’s dental health one of your utmost concerns as a parent? You are right to be worried.
Numerous young children suffer from significant oral health problems in Canada alone, specifically ECC or early childhood caries.
It’s tooth damage in children under six with characteristics including one or more decayed teeth, missing teeth due to tooth decay, or tooth surfaces filled with cavities.
Having that in mind, it’s normal for parents like you to worry about your child’s oral health and hygiene.
Teaching your kids about the proper ways to take care of their teeth is probably not new to you.
So you can probably attest that it could be a lot more challenging than anyone might think.
Let’s face it, brushing teeth or going to the dentist is often not a child’s favourite thing to do.
If you’re having a tough time instilling a good oral care routine for your kids, know that you’re not alone.
And there are ways to get your children more thrilled about brushing and taking good care of their teeth.
Read on to learn more about how to Make Dental Hygiene More Fun for Your Kids.
Table of Contents
Use Fun Books and Videos
It’s not always easy to teach your kids about oral hygiene.
But using fun books and videos they can relate to can help make your job much easier.
Remember that children are eager to hear exciting stories.
You can start teaching the importance of having healthy teeth by telling them a relatable story or reading an age-appropriate book about taking care of our pearly whites.
There are also fun videos of real kids or cartoon characters brushing their teeth that you can watch with them.
Help Your Kids Ready Themselves for a Visit to the Dentist
The Canada Dental Association recommends bringing children to the dentist when they’re 12 months old or within six months after the appearance of their first tooth.
This is crucial to prevent dental decay and other oral health problems.
For example, in Hamilton, 42 percent of grade two students suffer from tooth decay, and lack of access to dental care is the top reason.
Therefore, scheduling your kids for regular visits to the dentist is essential.
Of course, you need to prepare them, especially for their first dental appointment.
The dental clinic is unknown territory for most children, so they’re likely to feel anxious and uncomfortable.
Before going to a Hamilton dentist or any other dentist, it may help if you get them acquainted with the process.
You can play pretend dentist with your kids and explain why it’s vital for a professional to examine their teeth.
This can help them feel optimistic about going instead of feeling scared.
Practice Oral Care as a Family
Children often consider brushing their teeth a chore.
But they are more likely to appreciate and enjoy the brushing routine if you do it together.
You can let them watch you brush your teeth or show them the proper techniques first for a starter.
This is the most suitable time for you to educate your child by example.
Practicing what you preach is the best way to teach your child about dental health hygiene.
You can boost your kids’ willingness to brush and floss if you let them see you doing the same thing.
Add a Musical Element
Music is a great tool to make the oral health care routine more enjoyable for kids.
Most children love learning through music, whether it’s a song you’ve composed yourself or something on your playlist.
You can sing songs about protecting one’s oral health or find a toothbrushing song.
Playing it while brushing and flossing together can make the routine more fun and pass the time faster.
Set Up a Toothbrush Timer
Dental health experts suggest brushing your teeth twice every day, for two to three minutes each time.
However, it can be a struggle to keep your kids brushing for that long.
You can use a toothbrush timer to set a structure and help your kids stick to the routine for the full two minutes.
That may not sound exciting for your kids.
Still, it’s necessary to remove plaque and food residue from their teeth effectively.
Instead of using the clock for the countdown, you can use an egg timer filled with colourful sand.
Then you can challenge your children to brush their teeth until the sand falls to the bottom.
An electric toothbrush with a built-in timer would also be good to motivate your kids better.
Allow Your Kids to Have Fun
While establishing good dental hygiene is a serious matter, it doesn’t mean you have to go extra strict and rigid with your kids.
Allow them to have fun by giving them control over their brushing routine.
Perhaps, they might enjoy doing it while watching videos rather than requiring them to sit still.
It may also help if you let them choose the flavour of toothpaste or the design of the toothbrush they want to use.
As much as possible, use these Effective Ways to Make Dental Hygiene More Fun for Your Kids.
