Is it a chore to get your kids to brush their teeth? Do they whine about how long Tooth Time takes? Uptown Dental has a few ideas for parents struggling to make each two-minute brushing session less of a drag and more fun for your kids. Transform it into a fun family task with music, a rewards system, a new toothbrush, and maybe even an app! Learn more about making the lifelong habit of twice-daily brushing fun for your family.
The Family that Brushes Together, Stays Together
If you’re not brushing your teeth alongside your kids, consider how you can make that happen. Brushing teeth alongside your children does two things: It sets an example and establishes a routine for regular dental care. By giving your kids your full attention twice a day, you’ll make tooth time something they look forward to doing with you. It seems less like a chore or an order and more part of the family routine when you work together to maintain good oral care habits.
Strengthen Teeth with Songs
To ensure brushing time is a fun time, consider creating a playlist of your kids’ favorite two-minute songs. This will help keep them brushing for the magical amount of time it takes for sodium fluoride to be effective in strengthening teeth. Look for energetic songs for the morning brushing and more sedate evening brushing songs to set the tone for bedtime. You can find brushing specific songs for little ones who are just learning to brush or simply choose from songs your kids enjoy. Feel free to get silly and do synchronized brushing to the beat.
Try an App
Yes, there is an app to make brushing more fun—in fact, there are quite a few! Mobile apps have all the bells and whistles to playfully keep kids engaged in their oral care. Brushing apps feature timers, music, and even badges and other “rewards” built right in! Search “tooth brushing” in your mobile app store to see popular brushing apps for kids in the Health & Fitness category—or ask Dr. Lenz or Dr. Mueller and the staff at Uptown Dental for their recommendations!
Reward Good Habits
Parents, you know how powerful a system of rewards can be, so reward good behaviors with things your child likes. Many parents use a system of stickers on a calendar or the promise to read to them before bed. Maybe it’s a few extra minutes of playtime or coloring with special crayons or markers. Use the rewards that work best for your children! Hint: Check the dollar store or craft resale shop for inexpensive stickers, stamps, crayons, markers, and calendars.
Shop for Toothbrushes
Animals, dinosaurs, princesses—you name it—there are cute toothbrush options for all ages and genders! Every three months, plan a trip to the toothbrush aisle to choose a new toothbrush. Let them select a colorful toothbrush they’ll look forward to using morning and night.
Maybe your child is ready for an electric toothbrush, which will make brushing more exciting and stimulating. Most kids have the dexterity to use an electric toothbrush around age 3 or 4. You’ll have a large selection of colors and characters and some link to a Bluetooth timer or app.
With a little effort, you can make brushing more fun for your kids. See if you can make time to help them form and keep strong tooth brushing habits by brushing together, playing music, rewarding them, trying a dental care app, and shopping for new toothbrushes! Your kids and their teeth will benefit from establishing routines and novel approaches to making brushing an engaging and important part of their lives rather than a chore.