3 Tips to Keep Kids Brushing

All parents want their kids to be healthy. We spend time and energy to make sure they do things that are good for them. 

We’re always reminding them of things they need to do. “Eat your veggies!” “Time to put down the screens!” “Don’t forget to put on sunscreen!” “Time for bed!” 

Tooth-brushing is a key part of your child’s health, too. The problem is that it can be a struggle to get a wiggly kid to stand still for four minutes a day. Two minutes can seem like an eternity if your child doesn’t want to brush.

The good news is, there are ways to get your kids excited about brushing. It may take a little more effort, but it’s well worth it for a healthy, happy smile. 

Make Brushing Fun

The first thing you can do is make brushing a fun experience. Kids learn through play, so make it a game. Here are some suggestions for making brushing fun:

• Sing a toothbrushing song
• Tell a two-minute story (or ask a smart assistant like Siri or Alexa to tell one)
• Make silly sound effects
• Play pretend -- your child can be the “superhero” saving their teeth from the icky sticky bacteria. They can be a deep-sea diver, exploring the “cave” with the SS Toothbrush submarine. The possibilities are endless!

When you make brushing fun, your child will look forward to it more. Brushing won’t be something they have to stand still and do. It won’t be something they do “because I said so”. Instead, it’ll be a fun activity, and they’ll be taking care of themselves. 

Stick to a Routine

Kids thrive with a routine, and brushing their teeth is no different. When your kid knows what to expect, they tend to fight about it less. 

Make brushing teeth part of their morning list. When it becomes as expected as changing out of pj’s, your child will start to do it more independently.

Brushing should also be part of their bedtime routine. Having a consistent bedtime routine means your child will always remember to brush. Routines can even help your child sleep better and decrease night terrors. 

Give Kids Choices

Imagine how it would feel to have someone else telling you what to do all the time. Kids don’t have much control over what to do, where to go, and when. They try to take back control in little things like brushing their teeth. 

Giving them choices will help with this power struggle. Instead of you telling them what to do, you give them a sense that you’re a team. Letting kids make choices around brushing can help build healthy habits. 

The first way to give them a choice is to let them pick their toothbrush and toothpaste from the store. 

At home, you can offer them choices like: 

• “Do you want to brush by yourself or do you want me to brush with you?”
• “Do you want to start on your top teeth or your bottom teeth?”
• “Would you rather brush your teeth before or after we get dressed?”
• “Would you like to put the toothpaste on by yourself, or do you want help?”

These choices will make brushing go more smoothly. Your child is also empowered to take charge of their dental health. 

Taking Care of Your Kids’ Dental Health

Daily brushing is the biggest part of dental health. Dental health is part of your children's overall health. Like any other healthy habits, daily brushing can be tough to get started with. 

Taking the effort to keep your child brushing is well worth it, though. A brushing habit will set them up for dental success later in life. It’ll also keep visits to the dentist routine and easy since they won’t have lots of cavities to fill. 

Keep your kids brushing, and you’ll be able to enjoy their sweet smiles for years to come.