Tips On Getting Toddlers To Brush Their Teeth

One thing that can really be a challenge when your kids are young is getting them to brush their teeth. While there are some children that enjoy brushing and may never get a cavity, there are also many children that will put up a struggle when it comes to brushing their teeth. Most will need a daily reminder.

When your child is a baby and only drinking milk, keeping their teeth clean is not so much of a worry. Once they become toddlers and they start eating foods and drinking more beverages like juices that contain sugar, you will want to make sure that they are brushing those little teeth every day. While teaching them to brush you will also want to educate your child on the importance of brushing their teeth and what happens to their teeth when they don’t brush them and keep them clean.

Below are some tips on getting toddlers to brush their teeth that you might want to consider when teaching your toddler how to brush their teeth:

1. Let Your Child Pick Their Plaque Fighting Weapons – When you have decided it is time for your child to start brushing their own teeth, take them to the store and let them pick their own toothbrush. Let them also pick out their own toothpaste. You will find that allowing your child to pick out a fun character or cartoon themed toothbrush and toothpaste with a flavor they like will give them more motivation to want to brush. They might just be asking you when it is time to brush before you ask them.
2. Be Their Brushing Buddy – Get out your toothbrush and brush your teeth with your child. If you are worried that their teeth needs a better cleaning you can take turns brushing each other’s teeth. This will give you a chance to get their teeth a little cleaner. For those with little ones that like to play copycat, encourage your child to copy your teeth brushing moves.
3. Keep Brushing Time Short – When your toddler is just learning to brush their own teeth don’t let them get discouraged so keep the brushing time short with a little fun.
4. Skip The Toothpaste If They Refuse – Toothpastes can have some very strong flavors and children will refuse to brush because they don’t care for the taste of the paste. Most dentists will say that it is okay to skip the toothpaste when they are toddlers but don’t forget to brush.  You might want to buy a variety of children’s toothpaste to find the toothpaste that your child wants to use.
5. Teach Them To Sing And Brush – Create a catchy brushing song that you can teach them to sing while they are brushing. Create a song that is long enough so that it allows them to be done brushing when the song is over.
6. Make Brushing Even More Fun – A toothbrush with your toddler’s favorite character might be fun but one that spins, makes noises and even has a timer is even better. Once your toddler starts getting into the daily brushing routine you can reward them with an exciting toothbrush with some power and maybe even some tunes making brushing for your child fun.

One important thing to remember when teaching your toddler to brush their teeth is to keep your expectations low.  You will find that most toddlers won’t be able to do a good thorough job at brushing their own teeth in the beginning and will probably need your help to finish the job.  Have patience and try not to get discouraged because that will make them only afraid of trying the next time.