We love watching kids grow and learn! There’s just something about the fire that lights up in their eyes when they discover that they, too, can do things just like you! This is never more true than when your child realizes that he or she can brush, floss, and go to the dentist, just like Mom and Dad! Your child is looking to you to see how they should feel about dental care, so make sure to put on your happy face to help your child learn the ins and outs of caring for their teeth! Here are so tips to help you create a positive dental attitude in your child!
1) Make the Oral Hygiene Routine Fun!
Creating that habit of brushing twice and flossing once can be difficult, especially if you yourself don’t have that habit. Make this something that your little one will want to do by buying into the fun aspect. Let the tot pick his or her own toothbrush with their favorite character on the handle. Some toothbrushes even light up or play a song! Get toothpaste with sparkles or a fun flavor so that your child wants to taste it! You can even get child-friendly flossers with their favorite characters right on the handle!
2) Let Them See You Brush
Nothing makes a child want to do something more than when they see Mom or Dad doing it! Children learn best when they have a model to show them technique. Keep an extra toothbrush in their bathroom, and brush with them to show them how to hold their mouth open, turn the toothbrush, and spit regularly! You will see a vast improvement in how your child brushes!
3) Prepare Them for a Great Cleaning
Kids want to know what’s coming. By the time your child is old enough for a dental appointment (4 or 5), they are ready to ask questions and hear what is going to happen at their visit. You don’t want to say anything to scare your child, but prepare them for holding their mouth open, for a finger to be put in their mouth, and maybe even put a toothbrush in their mouth so they can prepare for someone else to clean their teeth for a change!
Helping your child have a great dental experience is incredibly important to the rest of their life! Many of your good and bad dental habits were formed when you were a child, and the same will go for them. Help them create healthy dental habits, and call us to set up an appointment for your child! We’d love to help you get your child on the right track!
