One of the most overlooked challenges of parenthood is ensuring your children are maintaining healthy oral hygiene. In America, it would seem as though many parents are struggling given that about half of all children in their early adolescence will form some degree of tooth decay. Children’s oral health is important and the largest contributing factor to that health is their brushing habits. Forming these good habits at a young age has proven to stick, meaning it becomes easier to maintain these habits through adulthood. Which is why it’s so important for parents to use some of the best strategies available to ensure their children are regularly brushing as soon as possible.
As mentioned previously, this is quite the challenge and it is much easier said than done. Why is that? Well, for most children, brushing their teeth falls under the chore category, meaning they prefer to avoid it at all costs. Which is why it’s up to parents to paint brushing in such a way that sways their children’s mind from this way of thinking. A number of parents will struggle with this, but luckily there are a number of methods that should smooth the process over and this post will detail a few of them.
Healthy Habits Begin Early: determining when a child is ready for brushing will ultimately come down to their parents’ justification. With that being said, the sooner they feel comfortable, the sooner they’ll be able to have an easier time with monitoring their child’s oral hygiene. Most professionals have suggested that parents should allow their children to hold their own toothbrush and brush on their own the moment they feel comfortable enough to do so. The sooner they feel comfortable with holding the brush and brushing on their own, the better.
Manipulate Their Interpretation: the way in which things are framed is extremely important for children. Rather than framing brushing as something they are forced to do, parents can frame brushing in a more child-oriented manner. A common way this is done is through transforming their brushing time into a game or gimmick that sparks a child’s interest. Technological advancements have made this possible through mobile applications and games designed to interact with children throughout their two minutes brushing. Prioritizing the fun will make it easier to establish the habit.
Mimicry Can Help: as many parents know, children love to mimic those around them. While this can be annoying at times, parents can use this to their advantage. By increasing the frequency in which they brush around their children, their children may join along to brush alongside their parent. If this method is effective, consider making a family-oriented tradition of brushing teeth together nightly in order to establish lasting brushing habits.
Get The Dentist Involved: while it can be difficult for a specialist to develop these habits for the children, typically a child’s dentist can be a great resource for parents with stubborn brushers. In their early ages, children will often fear their trips to the dentist, with the problem being exacerbated if they have poor dental hygiene. Having a dentist explain to the children that their brushing is directly related to the pain associated with their checkups can be a great way to nudge children into brushing more regularly.
These are only a few of the methods available to help parents struggling with maintaining their child’s brushing habits. For additional tips and information on how to be certain your children will keep brushing regularly, be sure to check out the featured infographic accompanying this post. Courtesy of Sycamore Hills Dentistry.