My cousin, Tracy, and I decided to have a yard sale this weekend. I'd just like to say that any money we made, we EARNED! Good grief, that was rough! I'd 10x's rather clean teeth :-)
OK! So, a few of you have asked for some tips on getting your kids to brush their teeth! I love having people be concerned about their kids oral hygiene. How wonderful! However, I've not really had a lot of experience in this area. My toddler, Rhyan (who is now 2.5) looooves to brush her teeth! And she always has!
So, I turned to my friends and patients for some idea's. And i got some pretty good ones to share with you! Thank you to all of you who responded and shared your experiences.
The best advice I can give is this:
1. START EARLY! As soon as your little one starts to get his/her first tooth, use a washcloth to wipe it clean each day. This will help baby get used to having someone look around in their mouth and touch their teeth and gums. It also builds routine, which children thrive on!
2. When baby is very young, get a finger cot brush if you'd prefer. Just watch your fingers :-)
3. Make brushing FUN! Let your child pick his/her own toothbrush with their favorite characters.
4. Use training toothpaste. Its fluoride free, which is important for children who can not yet spit. But, it does taste good to them and encourages brushing/makes it tasty!
5. Use a timer to teach kids to brush for AT LEAST a minute. Hour glass timers are cheap and fun but a musical timer works great as well. This could even be your ipod with your kids favorite song! Just do what you can to keep that toothbrush in contact with the teeth as long as possible!
6. DISCLOSE! From time to time (at least once a month!) use a plaque finder of some sort. ACT makes "cool blue" mouth rinse or you can get red disclosing tablets from your dentist (warning: they stain more than just plaque so be sure to help your child!). Have your child brush first, then disclose, and then brush again to get what they missed. It can be a fun challenge!
7. Stay positive! As always, you will find more success (in general) when you encourage in a positive way with your children. I know, i know. It gets old having to remind them all. the. time. to brush! But the fact is, most kids are just forgetful. As adults, we dont understand how they forget. but they do! So be patient. Use sticky notes on their bookbags or lunchbox's or somewhere they will notice so that you dont have to verbally remind them, adding to your annoyance :-) Tell them when it looks like they've done a nice job and have been through!
8. Check your childs teeth. If they are young and still need help, help them. I tell most parents that until a kid is around 3-4 years old that parents should brush for the child first, giving them a "turn" after you. But pay attention to your child. Some children gain dexterity rather quickly and become quite adept at brushing pretty early on. If this is your child, let him/her start and you can finish up for them! But even if your child is 10 years old, an occasional spot check by mom and dad is in order. Kids get lazy. They get sloppy. And lets face it, you BOTH "pay" when kids get cavities!
9. Set a good example. Good brushing habits, along with everything else, should be modeled by the parent first. Gingivitis and gum disease and cavities are NOT genetic! They are familial, though, meaning that it is common for children of parents who have gum disease to also have gum disease because they share in this: poor hygiene. Set a good example for your child. Brush in the same bathroom, if your child seems to enjoy it.
10. Start taking your children to the dentist for regular check-up's around 3 years old, unless you have specific concerns earlier. Yes, your pediatrician will tell you to take a child at 1 year old. But trust me, your dentist will be very limited on what they can "do" to a one year old. I typically tell my patients to just bring their child with them when they come for a routine cleaning and I will look at the childs teeth using a mirror. All we check for at this age is baby bottle tooth decay (do NOT put your baby to bed w/ a bottle of ANY kind!) and that all teeth are erupting as normal (which is so very different from one child to the next). However, it IS important to start when you feel your child will tolerate a cleaning (between 3-4 at the latest!) so that their experiences with the dentist are positive and fun and not based on the idea that "we go to the dentist when our teeth hurt".
For my daughter, i've found that she really likes to be able to look in the mirror while we brush each morning and night. Especially when we first started brushing. Bottom line is this, though... you want brushing to be fun and a positive thing, but some kids are just resistant. For those, I recommend a book called "parenting the strong-willed child" HA!. But in all honesty, hygiene is a part of life. You wouldnt let your child skip a bath if they were dirty just because they didnt want a bath. Children are driven by desires, not by information. They need you, as the parent, to be wise and to require more of themselves than they want to give. So do what you can to help your children enjoy brushing, but in the end, they simply MUST brush. Before or after meals, whatever! Just get the plaque off the teeth twice a day. Believe me, it IS a battle you want to choose!
Happy brushing, peeps!
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