Encouraging your kids to develop a good oral hygiene routine early in their lives is crucial for their oral health as they grow older. According to Forbes, that will help their milk teeth stay healthy and set the stage for healthy adult teeth. More importantly, finding fun ways to teach your kids about good oral hygiene habits will help them practice the same when they grow up.

But how can you teach children about oral hygiene? Below are six effective and fun ways to teach your children about great oral care habits:

1. Leverage Exciting Kids’ Stories To Explain The Importance Of Brushing Teeth

Stories are an excellent alternative to capture your kids’ attention and get them to relate to something. Leveraging your kids’ interests, narrate to them a fun and enjoyable story concerning what toothpaste does. For instance, you can decide to narrate to your kid that toothpaste contains tiny knights who work hard to safeguard their teeth against sugar mites. Such stories can attract your child’s attention while keeping the whole process fun and adventurous.

Additionally, books can also assist your kid in understanding the significance of having great oral hygiene practices. Furthermore, they’re an excellent way to introduce your kids to the concept of visiting a dentist regularly. You can select books that illustrate the importance of brushing teeth using fun images that your kids can relate with.

2. Leverage Songs To Educate Your Kids About Oral Hygiene

Songs are one of the most powerful techniques for teaching and motivating your kids since they’re memorable and fun. Often, the lyrics and tune of a song make information concerning dental hygiene and teeth brushing easier to remember.

Moreover, songs are a fun way for you to time the period your children take to brush while keeping them entertained. After all, your children can get bored while brushing their teeth without something to keep them engaged and focused. That’s why singing fun kids’ songs and some silly dance moves can make oral hygiene routine fun, helping them remember teeth brushing time.

3. Develop A Reward System To Motivate Them

Reward systems can work magic in encouraging your kids to learn oral hygiene practices. Therefore, it’s recommendable for you to create a chart where you tick every time your children brush and floss their teeth.

For instance, you can reward your younger kids with a sticker or the freedom to select a bedtime story. However, it’s important to avoid using candy as a reward — remember that you’re trying to instill good oral hygiene habits!

As your kids grow older, you can advance the rewards to, for instance, some extra time on the screens or allow them to pick a fun family activity. Ultimately, a reward system can do incredibly well in motivating your kids to brush their teeth and maintain good oral hygiene.

4. Find A Friendly And Experienced Dentist That Your Kids Like

You must carefully pick a compassionate, experienced, and friendly dentist with whom your kids will be comfortable. You can find a reputable dentist in Cary, NC, or any in your surrounding area with compassionate dentists who understand how to treat children. Finding a friendly and experienced dentist is crucial as they can play a key role in encouraging your kids to put more effort into maintaining good oral hygiene.

5. Allow Your Kids To Select Their Toothbrush

Similar to choosing a new favorite toy, allowing your kids to select their favorite toothbrush makes them feel in control and encourages a sense of ownership. Besides, this will allow your kids to pick toothbrushes that match their personalities and interests.

Therefore, you must take your kids along to the store for them to pick up their toothbrushes. That way, you can elicit their excitement about brushing their teeth. You can assist them in picking the right toothbrushes by narrowing their choices to several options.

6. Encourage Your Kids To Practice Brushing their Teeth On Their Toys

If your kids are fond of their favorite toys, you can leverage that to teach them how to brush their teeth. More importantly, you can use that to educate them about the importance of brushing their teeth for them and their toys. And once they have thoroughly cleaned their toy’s imaginary teeth, you can encourage them to brush theirs too!

Final Word

Educating your young kids about oral hygiene can be challenging in the beginning, but over time they’ll learn. Ultimately, with the extra effort from your side, your kids can learn and develop life-long healthy oral hygiene habits.