You’ll Thank Us Later – 5 Ways to Get Your Kids to Brush Teeth

Similar to bathing and eating their vegetables, brushing teeth is something that kids aren’t always happy to do. In fact, many children see this necessary activity as a chore and do their best to actively resist it! As tough as it may be though establishing a regular tooth-brushing routine is part of raising kids that parents have to deal with. Here are a few easy tricks to help get your kids to brush teeth.

1. Show Them How Dirty Their Teeth Are

If we tell our kids about nasty sugar bugs that eat holes in their teeth, it’s is usually met with skepticism. If your kids aren’t convinced about the importance of brushing, then show them just how dirty their teeth are after a day of eating.

Here, we’re talking about getting some disclosing tablets, available at most pharmacists and family dental care practices, and using them with your children one night. They simply chew them up, and the color will show clearly where all the plaque is in their mouth. Doing so should convince them that brushing really does make a positive difference!

2. Get Them to Make Bubbles

Another fun little way to get your kids to brush teeth is encouraging them to make bubbles when they brush. Those bubbles mean they’re doing a good job.

As an extra bit of motivation, you might have a bubble-making contest between your children. See who can get their mouth the bubbliest every night. As long as this doesn’t spark a session of sibling roughhousing, it will make your job as a parent much easier!

3. Bring a Toy Along

Like most kids, yours probably have a favorite stuffed animal or doll that’s never too far away. By suggesting that they make their little buddy a part of the brushing ritual, you might just reduce some of the resistance that usual comes from them.

Ask your kids if they want to explain how to properly brush teeth to their stuffies. They’ll love being able to repeat everything you’ve told them about brushing to their stuffed animal and brush their “teeth” for them, just like mommy.

4. Let Them Choose their Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Sometimes getting your kids on board with brushing teeth can be as simple as changing what they use to do it. A plain old toothbrush and icky-tasting toothpaste will make brushing time seem like another chore. On the other hand, if it’s a kid’s toothbrush with their favorite cartoon character and a sweeter kid’s toothpaste, they might even start to look forward to it!

5. Sing a Song to Get Kids to Brush Teeth

To make sure your kids are getting through the recommended two minutes of brushing, try singing a couple of verses of a song they like while they do so. Using the alphabet song to keep a rhythm is usually a good trick.

To make it a little more fun for them, get them their own two-minute hourglass. Then they can be in charge of turning over and keeping an eye on the time. These kinds of little distractions can make a massive difference to the way your kids feel about the brushing routine. Make sure that you’re taking care of your teeth too, mom and dad, including avoiding sugar!