Do your children brush and floss their teeth every day? Brushing and flossing your teeth is a necessary life skill, and is definitely something your children should learn and practice to keep their teeth and gums strong and healthy.
If your children don’t brush and floss their teeth on a daily basis, you can get them to do so by educating them about the importance of oral hygiene and by making brushing and flossing their teeth fun! Here are some tips for motivating them.
Educate your children about the importance of oral hygiene
A study found that 45% of 5-year-old Indian children had at least one missing or decayed tooth, and 10% of them have more than seven rotten teeth. So, it’s important to tell your children that unless they brush and floss their teeth daily, they can experience teeth and gum problems early, which can lead to even bigger problems when they reach adulthood.
Children can get cavities in their baby teeth, known as Early Childhood Cavities (ECC), and it’s the most common chronic disease in young children. But the good news is that children can prevent ECC by brushing their teeth twice a day.
You should also tell your children that oral hygiene is important so that their teeth develop properly. Because tooth decay or removal can be painful and can prevent one from eating and speaking properly.
You must also tell your children to take good care of their baby teeth, as they’re necessary to maintain the gaps that their adult teeth will grow into. Early decay or removal of baby teeth can lead to an orthodontist visit down the road.
You can also have your children learn the importance of oral hygiene by letting them read books, watch videos, or play mobile apps and tablet games about brushing their teeth.
You might want to pay a visit to your local dentist and have them tell your children why their teeth need to be brushed. You could even let your children see one of their grandparent’s false teeth to reinforce the fact that teeth should be brushed frequently so they last a long time.
How to get your kids to brush and floss their teeth every day?
Here are some tips for getting your children into a routine with brushing and flossing their teeth:
- Start good dental habits early –
Before your baby’s teeth start to grow out, wipe their gums with a clean, moist cloth or gauze pad after feedings so they get used to the idea of something being in their mouth. Once their first tooth comes out, brush their teeth daily using a soft toothbrush and baby toothpaste. At age three, you can start brushing their teeth twice a day.
- Let them pick a toothbrush and toothpaste –
This makes the process of learning how to take care of their teeth fun. Your children are more likely to become excited about brushing their teeth if they’re using a toothbrush with their favorite character on it, for example, and if they like the color and flavor of their toothpaste.
- Buy colorful dental flossers –
This can help keep the routine of practicing proper oral hygiene fun. And in turn, it’ll encourage your children to floss their teeth at night after brushing.
- Brush and floss your teeth as a family –
Kids love imitating their parents, so if your own children see you brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes and flossing at night, they’ll do the same. But you can make it more fun by brushing and flossing your teeth together. It’s also a great time to show them how to do it properly.
- Have more fun! –
You can make the process even more fun for your children by playing their favorite song while they brush and floss their teeth. You could also have them watch a short video or use a brushing app that plays a 2-minute song to make the time fly by. Or you can create a game, like who can make the most bubbles or foam.
- Use a story, character or toy for inspiration –
You can have your kids pretend they’re superheroes who brush away the bad guys that cause cavities. Use their favorite character in an engaging story about brushing. You could also use teeth brushing toy or a toy you already have and brush their teeth to encourage your kids to do the same.
- Create a reward chart –
This can help your kids keep track of their daily brushing and flossing and motivate them to do so every day. You can have a chart where they add a sticker every time they brush and floss or a chart where one week of brushing and flossing means they get a special reward like a trip to the park or time to play a video game.
- Stick to the routine –
Most importantly, even if your children are tired or you’re on holiday, you should encourage them to keep brushing and flossing their teeth every day. This way, they’ll be sure to stick to the habit.
The role of calcium in keeping teeth and gums healthy
Calcium can help keep your children’s teeth and gums strong and healthy and help protect against tooth decay and disease. Calcium deficiency can lead to weak teeth and to loss of bone mass, which can affect one’s jawline.
So, how can your children get enough calcium for good oral health? They can obtain calcium from foods and drinks such as milk and dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish, and grains.
If your children don’t get enough calcium from the foods and drinks they consume, they may develop cavities. To boost your children’s calcium intake and prevent cavities and other dental problems, you can give them calcium supplements.
Keeping your children’s smiles bright and healthy
Brushing and flossing your teeth daily and getting enough calcium is important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums and keeping away oral diseases. And by encouraging your children to look after their teeth properly from an early age, you can keep their smiles bright and healthy for a lifetime.
Expert Opinion
Dr. Priyanka Shinghore Dental director of Sabka dentist says “Though the baby teeth fall off the habit of the caring tooth will help a kid to protect his/her permanent teeth”.
Dr. Rupali Gujar Dental Director of Sabka dentist says “Children are fond of sweets, which increase the acids and break the enamel. So it’s important to a parent to encourage for brushing”.
Dr. Preethi Nagarajan Dental Director of sabka dentist says “Increased cavity and other oral problems will affect children overall health”.
