How to Encourage Kids to Brush Their Teeth

Getting your child into the routine of brushing their own teeth can be hard. Here are some fun tips to make the process a little easier and even fun!

Start Brushing Early

It's important to establish a routine early on with your child when it comes to brushing their teeth! Tell your child from an early age why we brush our teeth (we don't want to have cavities!) and that they will have a pearly, white smile when they are grown ups if they brush their teeth every morning and night!

Show and Tell- Toothbrush Edition!

Make learning about how to brush your teeth fun and interactive. Grab your tooth brush and show your child the important places to reach and brush. This is a great opportunity to show your child how to brush their teeth in circles (a great way to explain this to them is relating brushing in circles to train wheels moving down a train track- always in circles!) Also, this is a great chance to shoe your child how long they need to brush their teeth for.

Have Them Pick Out Their Own Toothbrush & Toothpaste

There are so many fun flavors of toothpaste and also colors and characters on toothbrushes! Make the process fun! If you child is getting bored with the process suggest getting a fun new toothbrush! It's important to engage your child from the beginning so he or she can have ownership in the learning process of brushing their teeth!

Encourage Them To Brush Their Own Teeth

Even when it comes to putting their toothpaste on their toothbrush- encourage your child to do it themselves! While it may be a little messy at first- it's easy to clean for you and a great exercise in independence for them!

Make it a Game

Make a fun contest out of the process! When you are brushing your teeth together see who can create the most bubbles in the 2 minutes of brushing! Remember, everyone (including adults) should be brushing their teeth a minimum of 2 minutes twice a day!

Set a Good Example

Show your child that you too are on a great routine for brushing your teeth! Allow them to see your process of brushing, flossing and mouth wash!

Try the Chart and Reward System

If you child is having trouble being encouraged- make a calendar and mark each day with a sticker if they have brushed their teeth. At the end of the week come up with a small prize as encourage to reach their goal.

Let Them Brush Your Teeth

If your child has questions or needs a little more persuasion, take out your own toothbrush and let them brush your teeth! While it may seem crazy- it's different way of understanding teeth- they usually don't get to see their own like they will see yours! Afterwards talk about what they saw and reasons why it's important for your toothbrush to reach the hard spaces!