As adults, we know the importance of taking care of our teeth. Imparting that same knowledge to our children, however, can be a daunting task at times. In order to get our little ones to make oral health a priority, we often need to find ways to spice up the process a bit. Consider the following four ways that parents can make oral health fun and interesting to kids. This is advice that can really make a positive difference!
Create Some Energy
Children like to be active. Brushing and flossing simply does not fit into this mindset. Make this an exciting time for your little one by putting some energy into the process. Play some dance music, create some flashing light, and just do anything it takes to spice up the environment a bit. This will go a long way towards making the concept of oral health one that exudes fun. Making the process of oral health more fun and exciting is a great way to make it more accessible to all members of the family.
Do Some Pretend Play
Children are masters of the pretend world, so use that to your advantage. Professionals, like those at Crest Hill Family Dental, know that you could role play being the dentist and the patient. Before you know it, your child will be brushing and flossing away. When they are the dentist, do not be afraid to let them tell you how to do it as well. Also, it’s important to set the example so your kids will know that because you take care of your teeth, they should also. When they see you taking your oral health seriously, so will they.
Give a Meaningful Reward
While there is nothing really wrong with incentivizing oral health, you want to make sure the reward is appropriate. When you are trying to teach the importance of oral health, you do not want to be giving out candy and other sweet items as a reward. Consider stickers as an alternative. When they collect so many they can cash them in for something bigger. You can also use quarters or other denominations of change to encourage them to keep up on their oral health. This reward system will teach them responsibility and keep their teeth clean at the same time.
Choose Some Child Friendly Accessories
Make brushing and flossing more fun with child-like accessories. Neon floss and flavored toothpaste are two of the many items you can consider to accomplish this. When you have some accessories to brighten up the moment, children will look forward to their morning and nighttime oral health ritual. Making the process of brushing your teeth fun and engaging is the best way to help children become comfortable with it.
These are four simple ways that you can really make the process of taking care of teeth come alive for a child. By making the process fun, children will be more likely to embrace oral health as a lifelong process. This will turn them into adults that continue to take care of their teeth without having to be told.
