5 Brushing and Flossing Tips for Kids

Just about all of us remember growing up and our parents telling us how important it was that we brushed and flossed our teeth after every meal. Now that we’re the parents, it’s our turn to instruct our little ones on why they need to do the exact same thing.

Of course, initially, it may not seem like something that your young son or daughter is very interested in. So, in order to make it something that will become more exciting to them, we wanted to take out a moment to provide you with some brushing and flossing tips that specifically have your kids in mind. That way, soon oral hygiene will be something that they enjoy doing—all on their own.

Let them pick out their toothbrush. Being that there are so many different kinds of toothbrushes out on the market, make a point to take your child with you to the store when it’s time to get them one. That way, they can pick out their favorite color or style and that within itself, will get them excited about brushing their teeth.

Get the kind of floss that’s made just for kids. Plain gloss with no flavor added to it, to a child, is going to seem a lot like putting some thread in between their teeth. So, when you’re shopping for floss, look for the kind that is specifically designed for children. Gum Crayola Kids Flossers, DenTek Kids Fun Flossers and Orasmart Dental Teeth Gum Kids are just some of the brands that are currently on the market.

Set a timer. Something that your child is probably going to attempt to do is put some toothpaste on their brush, eat it and then come out of the bathroom (especially if you get the kind that is a fruit or bubblegum flavor). However, we all know that your teeth and gums are not truly clean until you’ve devoted a couple of minutes brushing them. So, either put a timer in the bathroom and set it for two minutes or even consider playing one of their favorite songs. Let them know that when the timer buzzes or the song is finished, that’s their cue that brushing time is over.

Put up a chart. A great way to remind kids to brush and floss is to put a chart up in the bathroom (like perhaps by taping onto the side of the mirror). If you happen to go to a place like Highway 78 Dental & Orthodontics for your child’s dental appointments, oftentimes they will have a chart that you can take home or you can go to websites such as Smart Practice or Simply Teeth to download one. Just go to the site and put “child dental chart” in the search field.

Tell them to “stick out their tongue”. While you’re in the midst of teaching your child manners, in most cases, sticking out their tongue is not an advisable thing to do. But being that many germs are found on our tongues, if there’s one time when it’s a smart practice, it’s while they’re brushing their teeth. So when it’s time for them to brush their teeth, encourage them to make a funny face while sticking out their tongue and brushing it. They’ll like doing it and you’ll be happy to know that they are enjoying learning about effective oral hygiene in the process.