Four Ways to Teach Kids to Take Care of Their Teeth

Teaching kids to take care of their beautiful smiles can be both fun and educational. Here are four easy tips to help!

Explain the Basics

Kids need to know that taking care of their teeth is important, and that there are long-term consequences if they don’t. My boys – ages eight and five – love to hear about how when they eat, bacteria come out to play on their teeth, building plaque that turns to acid. It’s the acid that eats away at their teeth, rotting them and making them fall out.

My kids imagine that they’re superheroes, fighting plaque with all their might! This explanation might work for your kids too, but if it doesn’t, find one that helps explain why taking care of their teeth is important. A visit to the local library for books or educational DVDs about the subject might also help!

Incorporate Play

Taking care of their teeth takes a lot of time and attention, and kids aren’t known for their patience in this area. For example, they need to spend two to three minutes brushing all sides of their teeth, then flossing in-between to get rid of the plaque.

To help small children especially, find a doll and have your child “brush” the doll’s teeth. Have your child talk about what he/she is doing, and review the basics about how to brush properly. I also like to add simple songs – like the ABCs – and sing them through until two minutes has passed. This illustrates how long children need to brush.

Give Your Child Choices

Let your kids have choices when it comes to taking care of their teeth. There’s a variety of kid-friendly products out there, including toothbrushes that have songs and special characters, fun toothpaste, cute reusable cups, and mouthwash that turns your kids’ teeth blue where brushing is required.
Have a few different toothbrushes for your kids to choose from, and teach them how to put pea-sized amounts of toothpaste on the bristles. Keep them brushing for extended amounts of time while singing a simple song, like the ABC’s. Don’t forget to review rinsing and spitting!

Get Advice from the Dentist

Children, like adults, need to visit the dentist every six months for regular cleanings and checkups. Take children to the dentist as soon as you’d like. We started visiting the dentist when our children were three years old to get them comfortable with the idea, and official dentist visits with exams and cleanings started when they turned four years old.

During these visits, the dentist and dental hygienist review the best ways to brush and floss their teeth. Sometimes hearing information from other authoritative sources makes more of an impact on children – I know it works with mine, and the repetition of information and practice will help my kids take care of their teeth for years to come!

Kelly Wilson is a mom and freelance writer who regularly visits a dentist
like this General Dentist in Salmon Creek, Washington.

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