Establishing this good habit with your children goes a long way in helping them be healthy. We understand that it is not always the easiest thing to do, but we hope to give you some ideas that will help you teach them to brush and help them enjoy it.
Remember to keep to the basic steps of brushing. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle, using your gums as a reference for your tilt. Move the brush back and forth over your teeth, making sure you get all sides and tops of your teeth. Put the brush at a 90-degree angle when brushing the back side of your front teeth. A usually forgotten step is cleaning your tongue, which you can do by brushing it.
Those are the rules, but how do you teach them to your children? You start by brushing their teeth yourself when they are just infants and toddlers. By the time they reach age six, they are generally ready to start brushing themselves.
One of the best ways you can teach them is to be a good example of brushing. Have them watch you as you brush. Children tend to imitate parents, so watching you may help them want to do it, and you can demonstrate the steps to them as they observe you.
When they start brushing, you might help them follow along turning it into a game. Not a competitive one, but an imitation game where they each get praise for following what you do. If your kids like music, you could to make up a song about brushing or play an already existing one in order to teach the steps and make things fun.
We cannot guarantee these methods will work for you, but they can at the very least make good starting points. For more help with your family’s dental needs, come to Texas Kids Dental in El Paso, Texas. Our dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Erickson, is happy to help you keep your family in good health. To call, you need only dial 915-858-6868.