Taking care of your teeth shouldn’t be intimidating when you’re a child. Whether you’re focusing more on establishing regular habits, or their sudden taste for candy leaves you worried about their dental health, there’s no time like the present to ensure your kids are practicing good dental health. As a parent, you control how your kids learn about dental care.
Remember, there’s a dental clinic you have to visit to get the best quality dental care. That means your children must understand the significance of going to the dentist twice a year, even when it’s inconvenient. Your kids need to know what they’re getting into if they’re not brushing and flossing regularly. Try these eight fun ideas to teach them about dental care, as they’ll surely get your kids taking care of their teeth.
1. You Are the Dentist, and They’re the Patient
Role-playing is a great idea. By role-playing, you’ll be the dentist, your kids will be the patients, and from there, you can give a lesson on taking care of your teeth and the benefits of doing so. Go the extra mile by dressing up and playing dentist, and your kids will quickly realize that the dentist is trustworthy and reliable. You take the place of your dentist, and your kids can understand what a dentist does and how they do it. That’s one way to get them educated about dentists.
When they’re learning about dental care, your kids might be confused. They might not understand why it might be a good idea to delay rinsing. Or, the purpose of flossing might elude them since it’s something the dentist can do. By role-playing an actual appointment with a dentist, your kids will mimic the proper brushing and flossing behaviors at a much faster rate. In short, letting your kids see effective dental care as much as possible is essential. There are a few things they need to learn early.
When learning about dental care, your kids must focus on positioning their toothbrushes and how hard they brush. The more your kids see a dentist in front of them, the less anxiety they’ll have about visiting the dentist twice a year. Show them through the lesson that brushing too hard may have negative consequences.
2. Give Them Colorful, Playful Toothbrushes
As a parent, you have an understanding of your kids’ interests. Whether they’re into Batman, Sonic The Hedgehog, or the Power Rangers, the choice of toothbrush matters. Kids learn by engaging in fun activities because fun and learning are linked together. If brushing their teeth is a fun activity, they’ll be much more excited about following effective habits. When your kids learn about dental care, they’ll probably run across a nice toothbrush or two. Don’t be surprised if your dentist offers one or two of their own.
Fun, creative toothbrushes become your kids’ own. Their toothbrush becomes as much of an essential property as any other toy. Adding playful toothbrushes to the medicine cabinet makes the toothbrushes stand out from boring adult toothbrushes. In this case, your kids will see that family dental care is all fun despite being serious, and the more they smile, the more they see their teeth, and the happier your kids will be as they practice effective dental care throughout their childhood.
3. Read a Book About Dental Care
Do you want to make sure what your child learns about dental care is committed to memory? Go no further than the latest kids’ book that’s perfect for their age group. Whether you check in at a local bookstore or visit the nearby library, there are plenty of books filled with good, funny stories for kids to read and hear. As a parent, story time has always been necessary. Why not accomplish two things at once? Please give them the benefits of reading combined with the advantages of brushing their teeth, and your children will have positive memories associated with effective dental care.
Choose a book that has a memorable ending, ideally a happy-feeling book. In this story, the character may be brushing their teeth, it may be a step-by-step process, and your kids can see it unfold. Children’s books are great because they also have illustrations. So, at some point, your child will realize something powerful and unique about brushing his teeth.
For some kids, it may be the pursuit of perfect white teeth. Other kids may feel more motivated to get braces or orthodontic care in the future. The earlier you can introduce dental care into reading, the better. Kids learn fast when there’s a story associated with the lesson. Why not make that dental lesson lead your children to learn faster?
4. Make Visiting the Dentist a Very Special Day
You know you’re going to visit the dentist twice a year, don’t you? Therefore, the day to go to the dentist should be extraordinary. Take some time beforehand to include celebrations for the family to enjoy after visiting the dentist. Maybe it’s a healthy snack with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Or a trip to the ice cream parlor to enjoy a cone. Pick something healthy and fun to do, and the day your kids visit the dentist will be a day they’ll remember as uplifting and happy.
Remember that your kids may fear the dentist even with your best intentions. That’s because of their teeth and gums’ sensitivity and proximity to the dentist’s unique tools. Your kids shouldn’t worry about discomfort as long as they care for their teeth. That’s why Dentist Day has to be so special. Whether you’re making the experience more exciting beforehand or dedicating time later to celebrate, the important thing about dental care is that everyone in the family is working together. The best dental care happens when your kids love the day they see the dentist. Make that as memorable as possible.
5. Brush and Floss with the Entire Family
Brushing and flossing with the family is especially helpful if you have younger children. That means three times a day, gathering the family around and letting everyone see what the other person is doing. Whether there’s confusion regarding how to hold the toothbrush or uncertainty about dental care related to how to rinse, teaching kids everything about dental care is much easier when the whole family’s involved.
Remember how much your kids have learned by watching? Then you’ll be amazed by how quickly they learn by showing them the ropes. Forget about the hot water heater and focus your attention on making sure they know they’re removing plaque from their teeth. Brushing and flossing with the entire family is also an excellent way to ensure your kids understand the dangers of not caring for their teeth. But at this age, it’s mainly important to be proactive. Keep healthy dental care in as positive a light as possible. What better way than to show your kids the whole family’s involved?
Your kids won’t be able to establish the best brushing habits if bathroom faucet repair is essential. Meanwhile, you’ll still need to ensure your water and sinks are functioning correctly, so take the time to ensure the water pressure is good while you’re at it. Afterward, teach your kids to turn the water off while brushing. See how much you can teach your kids at once when everyone in the family is involved?
6. Tell a Spooky Story About a Character Who Didn’t Have Good Dental Health
While it’s a great idea to talk about dental care in a positive light, you can also benefit from talking about the risk of an emergency dental service without having to be too graphic. For this activity to work, you’ll have to put your brain to good use and develop a creative story about the dark side of dental health and why your kids should avoid it. Your kids need a spooky story about a character who didn’t have good dental health.
Tell the story from the beginning. Draw inspiration from books, take a character from a book or movie, and revise the story to work for your kids. Ensure the story has a lesson and a beginning, middle, and end. While you don’t necessarily need to be too graphic, painting an image of someone having a rough time because they didn’t care for their dental health is essential to getting your kids to understand dental care. Don’t skip this step.
Need some suggestions for getting started? Tell one of your own stories instead. What positive things happened when you practiced effective dental care? What negative things happened when you didn’t? Instead of worrying about insurance agents, focus on bonding more with your kids. Your kids will appreciate your own story more than any other they’ve heard. So, be sure to get as many details as possible, as these lessons are those you’ll never want to forget.
7. Create a Jingle to Sing During Brushing Time
While a book or story has its uses, your family must be all-too-familiar with one or two jingles that come on the television. They’re short, they’re snappy, and they’re fun. They’re easy to remember and bring a smile to your kids’ faces. Create a jingle that rhymes while brushing your teeth. Try your hand out at a bit of music composition. The bonus: your kids will have a song they can share at school one day. Who knew brushing and flossing could be so much fun?
Short jingles linger in your head much longer than a statement or a whole conversation. Remember, your kids likely have short attention spans, so they need a quick, reliable tune to represent all the good things from regular dental care. No matter how tempting it is, forget about divorce cases and focus on the thrill of being there with your kids. How special would it be if your family came up with a song for brushing their teeth?
Special, indeed, you now realize. Go as far as you need to, create a video, and upload it to YouTube. Show your kids the positive reactions you get so they can see the enjoyment of a task everyone knows they must do. If your kids see brushing and caring for teeth as an entertaining activity, they’ll be quick to go along. Just make sure the jingle you choose makes sense and doesn’t make you cringe. While you’re in the bathroom singing, check in on the water temperature. Maybe it’s time to call a plumber, too.
8. Remind Your Kids That the Dentist is Everyone’s Friend
If there are any dental care goals worth adopting, it’s teaching your kids that the dentist is a friend. Okay, maybe not a friend, but your children shouldn’t feel compelled to shy away from the dentist. By now, they’ve gotten some good habits into their lives, and the dentist is the perfect person to ensure those habits stick. From being extra friendly to the dentist to joining in during the appointment, your children need to see how much the dentist matters.
Remember, sometimes your children may feel intimidated by the machines in the room. While you’re in the room with them, let them know that each device or piece of equipment is beneficial for them, and because they’ve been taking care of their teeth, all the other tools aren’t for them. The more your kids see the dentist as a positive influence, the better off they’ll be. Whether your goal is to make sure habits stick or to eliminate bad ones, the dentist’s office is essential to their lives. It’s your job as a parent to ensure they never forget while still children.
There are many helpful ways to teach dental care, but ensuring your kids see the dentist as a friend is one of the most critical priorities. You’ve already learned that role-playing might help, but reading books and singing jingles has an even more significant effect. Yes, you want your kids to know everything about dental care, but no, you don’t want them to be intimidated by the dentist. Make sure the whole family sees proper brushing at night, and your kids won’t have to worry about feeling scared of the dentist.
Above all, keep the benefits in mind. Make sure they’re thinking of healthy teeth and gums. Get your kids started on the right track with dental care, and you’ll see them enjoy healthy smiles for the rest of their lives.