February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and a great time to learn more about dental care for children.
This year’s slogan is, “Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile.” Sounds simple, but when it comes to children, it’s not always easy to make sure that they are following good oral care practices.
Think Your Kids Are Brushing Carefully? They Can Fool You!
Children often go to great lengths to avoid doing something that they know their parents want. Here are some ruses we have seen:
- A dry toothbrush means no brushing even if your child promises it’s been used.
- The toothbrush may be moist, but the child was only in the bathroom for a few seconds – just long enough to run the brush under the water.
- The child says that teeth are brushed, but a guilty smile reveals food particles present on teeth and gums.
- Breath smelling like food or drink means the teeth were not brushed.
- Never-ending dental floss isn’t magic – it just means that your child is fooling you when she says she has cleaned between her teeth.
The only way to make sure that a child is correctly and thoroughly cleaning the teeth is to monitor brushing time.
7 Ways To Make Brushing Fun
You can make oral care fun for your child with these quick tricks:
- Let your child choose a toothbrush with a favorite super hero.
- Offer your child a choice of toothpaste flavors including mint, fruit or bubble gum.
- Brush alongside your child. Make it a friendly contest to see who brushes for the longest.
- Make tooth brushing time fun with music or by making funny faces in the mirror.
- For younger children, let them brush the teeth of a favorite stuffed animal or doll while you brush your child’s teeth.
- Choose a fun app like “Brush DJ,” “Disney Magic Timer” or “Star Teeth” for entertaining motivation.
- Offer a reward like a sticker for a job well done!
Let Us Know If You Have Questions on Any Aspect of Oral Health Care
Dr. Lorraine Burio of Candlewood Dental Care has been treating and educating patients for over twenty-five years. Our office serves the New Fairfield, New Milford, Danbury, and Sherman areas of CT and Pawling, Patterson and Putnam Lake of New York. You can call us at 203-746-1200 or make an appointment here.