Everything You’ll Need to Make the Teeth Brushing Battle Easier

You want to make sure your kids' pearly whites stay clean and cavity-free. However, if the mention of brushing sends your little one running or locking their lips, you may need a few new ideas on how to get their teeth brushed and the daily battles at bay. From their first tooth to when they start losing their baby teeth, here are five ways to make brushing toddlers' and big kids' teeth easier on you and on them.

Routine, routine, routine: Just like everything else in their little lives, routine helps kids understand what comes next and helps them adjust. Start a brand new teeth-brushing routine that your little one understand:

• Set the time. Right after bath time or before it’s time to read, establish what time brushing will happen and stick to it.
• Give them a warning that brushing is going to happen soon
• Sing a song while they brush. It’s silly and fun and will help with the routine.
• Cheer when they brush and stay calm if the brushing doesn't go well.

Change up the toothpaste: Children two and under only need a rice-sized amount of toothpaste and for three and over, kids only need a pea-sized amount. So if you’ve been slathering on the toothpaste, cutting back may help. Also, toothpaste flavors could be the reason your little one is fighting brushing. So try changing up their toothpaste but look for the following:

• ADA approved- this means dentists give the toothpaste thumbs up
• Safe to swallow-since most of the toothpaste will be swallowed, choose one that doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients
• A flavor your child will like- You may need to try a few different flavors but when you find the right one, it can be a game-changer.

Upgrade their toothbrush: While a regular toothbrush will get the job done, a toothbrush upgrade may help. For younger kids, it can be as simple as grabbing a toothbrush that features their favorite characters or a fun electric toothbrush that covers more teeth and cleans better. For toddlers, a triple angle toothbrush can make getting all sides of their teeth easier and in half the time.

Model Brushing: While you’ll want to help your kids under the age of eight brush, if they are giving you pushback on brushing, modeling how to brush and floss can help. Whether it is you brushing your teeth next to your kids or you let them practice brushing on a favorite teddy bear or toy, modeling makes brushing seem less scary and makes something that kids can expect will happen every day.

Set Up a Reward System: From a sticker to an extra book at bedtime, a simple reward system can help motivate little ones to keep up with brushing. If you have been wanting to try responsibility charts, now is a great time to include brushing and other bedtime routines.

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