Your child should be brushing their teeth daily, so it's a good idea to establish positive dental hygiene habits early on to ensure that they properly take care of their teeth as they age. With healthy dental hygiene habits in place, your little one will be less likely to develop problems, such as cavities and gum disease, during their adult years in life.
However, if your kid is like most young people when it comes to brushing, they likely aren't very excited about the prospect of proper dental care overall. The trick is to get your child excited about brushing twice a day so they're most like to do it on their own and without complaint. Here are a few easy yet effective techniques to consider implementing:
Spiff Up a Toothbrush Caddy
A great way to make brushing more fun is to help your little one spiff up a toothbrush caddy with unique decorations. They can use the caddy to manage their brushing supplies and dental accessories, which will encourage responsibility and organization as they grow up. And if your child has pride in their caddy creation, it should provide them with more enjoyment when brushing and flossing on a daily basis. Start by purchasing a basic dental caddy and using it as a base for your child's unique creation. Let your son or daughter use stickers, glitter, markers, and paint to decorate the caddy. Buy a few stencils that can be used for design inspiration, as well.
Make Some Tasty Toothpaste
Another fun way to get your child interested in brushing is to make some homemade toothpaste together. The process is easy, and the paste you make will help keep the teeth of everyone in the household healthy and bright between dental visits. Including strawberries in your toothpaste is the key, as they are full of vitamin C which helps lift plaque, and they contain astringents that scrub away surface stains. Head to the kitchen with your son or daughter and gather the following ingredients to make your own batch of healthy, homemade toothpaste together:
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3 strawberries (if frozen, let them thaw on the counter before using)
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1 tsp baking soda
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1 tsp water
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6 drops cinnamon essential oil
Put your strawberries in a small bowl and use a fork to mash them until they get mushy and start to liquefy. Then add your other ingredients and slowly stir them into the berries with your fork until the concoction turns into a thin paste. Transfer the paste to a resealable container and store it in the fridge for up to a week between uses.
Create a Calendar Schedule
Creating a brushing schedule on a calendar is an effective way to keep your youngster motivated to practice proper dental hygiene on a weekly basis. Find themed calendars that feature your child's favorite characters or objects on the Internet and print out a new calendar sheet each week to keep things interesting. Hang the calendar in the bathroom, and every day that your little one brushes and flosses their teeth without complaining or having to be asked, they can put a star sticker on the calendar's corresponding day.
If your child manages to fill every day of the week with star stickers, provide them with a small reward as an incentive to do just as well in the coming weeks. A new toothbrush with colorful designs on it, a children's book about dental care, and glow-in-the-dark dental floss are all awesome options to consider. It's also a good idea to document scheduled dentist visits on the calendars as they come up so your child has time to mentally prepare themselves for the experience.
These methods and techniques are sure to make the process of brushing and flossing more enjoyable for your child and less stressful for you overall. To set up a checkup for your child, contact an office like Dental Associates PC.
