Forming good oral care habits from a young age is so important to the future health and wellbeing of your children, but teeth cleaning is not always an easy task to complete. Why not get the whole family on board and make teeth cleaning a fun time of the morning and night! Dr Tony Heilberg is the bayside dental practitioner that families trust for professional oral health care and advice. Here’s a few suggestions on how you can make teeth brushing time a fun-filled family event.
Set a Good Example
Kids learn by copying their parents and older siblings, so lead by example and show your kids your tooth-brushing routine. Have your children watch while you floss and brush and make a point to brush your gums gently and reach your furthest back teeth, brushing for a full two minutes. Explain how you need to get to all the hard to reach places and clean all surfaces of the teeth for a nice smile. When you are finished, flash your bright smile into the mirror showing how proud and happy you are with the result.
Brush with Them
The AAPD (Australasian Academy of Paediatric Dentistry) recommends that children have parental help brushing their teeth until they are old enough to tie their own shoes successfully or around the age of 8. Young children often want to do everything independently, in this case you can let them brush first and then you finish off so you can be sure you reach all the surfaces of the teeth and gums they may have missed. It’s a good idea to brush your teeth at the same time and even let them ‘finish off’ for you, while it may be slightly uncomfortable, acting like it’s fun will have them see that there’s nothing to be worried about.
Turn it into a Game
Children love learning when it’s fun and they don’t realise they are actually doing something educational, so a great way to teach children the proper way to brush is to make a game out of it. They will soon grow to love the game of ‘teeth cleaning’ and it will no longer be a chore or a daily battle. Make up a story and create fun characters, like bacteria villains and superhero toothbrushes, or anything that you think might help your child enjoy these moments.
Make it Musical
Dentists recommend to brush for at least two minutes to eliminate plaque and prevent gum disease. To keep kids from rushing and to add a calming and enjoyable sensory component, play a two-minute song that the whole family enjoys. Keep things fun by encouraging a bit of a dance party around the bathroom while brushing (just make sure kids maintain the proper teeth brushing technique).
These are just some of the ways you can make brushing a little more fun, and hopefully a little easier for the kids to do. To protect your child’s dental health now and into the future, it’s important to establish good brushing habits as early as possible. Adding a little fun to their morning and nightly brushing routine can help make it an enjoyable experience and ensures you can spend some quality time as a family doing a necessary task that required for overall health and wellbeing.
If you are looking for a family dentist in the Bayside area, make an appointment with Dr Tony Heilberg today. With over 30 years’ experience in the dental industry, Tony Heilberg and his team provide comprehensive dental care in a gentle and comfortable manner, putting both adults and children at ease. Contact our bayside dental practice today online admin@dentistcheltenham.com.au or by calling (03) 9583 2233.
