Tips for motivating healthy brushing habits in children

As a dentist in Austin, we are constantly speaking with parents about their children's at-home oral hygiene habits, or lack thereof.  It can be particularly challenging for parents to get their children to brush their teeth.  Even children that brush their teeth when reminded to, will often forget to brush properly or not brush for the full two minutes. Thus parents can become frustrated with their children when they need intensive dental care.  In our dental office, we are constantly looking for ways to make this a little easier and are turning to media for a solution.

Children of all ages love using a smartphone or tablet and are usually good at it by the time they reach the first grade.  Whether you have a teenager that is constantly taking selfies or a tween that loves YouTube videos, children of all ages are fascinated by their electronic devices. With that in mind, using this form of communication to educate children is a great idea. Children are less likely to balk or complain than other methods.  As a dentist, we think this is an excellent place to start and recommend that you play a video for your children on how to brush correctly.  Since most children leave a lot of plaque on their teeth, this simple tutorial can help them learn how to prevent cavities.

Once your child is brushing the right way, we suggest that you focus on getting them to brush for the full amount of time.  If they aren't yet a teenager, head to the American Dental Association website.  They have a section devoted to cartoons and other videos.  Each one is two minutes long, the exact amount of time they need to spend brushing their teeth.  All you need to do is grab your smartphone or tablet and play it for them while they brush.  Once the video is over, they can stop.  This is far better than using a timer since that's boring.  Children want to have fun and stay energized.  As a dentist in Austin, we always suggest trying new things that can cause them to create a positive association with oral health rather than viewing it as something to dread.

If your children are teens and too old for the videos, try a reward system instead.  Since teens love their phone and playing video games, tell them that they have to brush their teeth before they can play.  This is a simple reward system that costs you nothing but will help to improve their health.  If they learn to do the important and healthy things before playing, they will also be learning a positive life lesson.  As a dentist in Austin, we know that if your teens can learn to establish good oral hygiene habits before college, they will probably keep them throughout adulthood and decrease their risk for cavities and gum disease with age.

Recent Posts

A Kid Friendly Dentist Gives Cavity Prevention Tips

There are certain things parents can do to help their child with cavity prevention. While visiting a Kid Friendly Dentist for checkups and routine cleanings certainly help, much of the care required for cavity prevention takes place at home. By helping your child practice good oral hygiene, you can avoid the need for dental fillings…

Visit The Best Kids Dentist For Preventing Sports Injuries

When your child plays sports, you need the best kids dentist in town to protect his or her teeth. Sports injuries are common, no matter the age. Whether your child is eight-years-old and playing at his or her first basketball game or fifteen-years-old and on the soccer field, your child's teeth are at risk for…

A Kids Dentist Can Be Your Partner In Oral Health

Being a kids dentist can be greatly rewarding. It also comes with its own unique set of challenges, mostly springing from the fact that a children's dentist works with young, wiggly patients. Though often more compliant than their adult counterparts, children have an intrinsic fear of the things they do not understand, making it even…

Visit Our Kids Dentist Office And Learn How To Keep Their Teeth Healthy

As a kid's dentist, the largest single challenge that we face does not come in the form of rare disease or children's special developmental needs. The largest problem that most kid's dentists face is the idea, which too many parents have, that children do not need to visit the dentist on a regular basis. The…


Austin Lakes Dentistry: Scott T Gordon DDS

Share
Published by
Austin Lakes Dentistry: Scott T Gordon DDS

Recent Posts

Top Reasons to Consider Dental Veneers for Your Teeth

Dental veneers are coverings that sit on the front, visible surfaces of the teeth.

3 months ago

4 Reasons to Get General Dentistry Preventive Treatments

Preventive care often gets overlooked as it relates to general dentistry, however, it plays a…

4 months ago

How an Experienced Implant Dentist Can Improve Your Smile

An implant dentist can replace one or more missing teeth and thereby improve the appearance…

5 months ago

Indications for a Root Canal: What To Look Out For

A root canal is a procedure that dentists can perform to stop infection inside a…

6 months ago

How to Prepare Your Child for Their First Dental Cleaning

Parents can prepare their children for a dental cleaning appointment by explaining the process and…

7 months ago

Cleaning Tips From a General Dentist

Despite what many people think, a general dentist wants to see strong, healthy teeth when…

8 months ago