As adults we understand the importance of oral hygiene, however children may not know why it is so vital. For many children, brushing their teeth can be an unpleasant task, but encouraging them to care for their teeth is vital to ensure they stay strong and healthy.
Establishing a set routine is the first way to encourage oral hygiene. This helps to build positive habits and ensures that children are brushing often enough, even if they don’t want to. After breakfast and before bedtime are great times to set and it is easy for you to keep track of as well.
You may also wish to change your routine to match theirs. If you are practising dental hygiene with them, they may be more inclined to do so without any fuss. Children learn by example and if you are not showing them that you also brush and floss regularly, they may be resistant to it.
A lot of issues with brushing are due to the fact that children simply don’t enjoy it. It can be boring, many don’t like the taste of toothpaste and two minutes can seem like an eternity for young people.
Try and make brushing more fun and exciting to encourage them to do it. Allowing them to choose their own toothbrush, finding a fun flavour of toothpaste and using music they enjoy can make is less like a task and more like a fun activity.
It is vital that you reinforce the reasons why dental hygiene is so important. If your child is finding it difficult, carefully explain to them why they need to keep their teeth healthy and strong. If they understand why they have to brush, they may be more likely to remember to do so.
You should also make sure you take them to the dentist regularly to ensure any issues are dealt with as soon as possible and to get them used to dental visits. Many children find the dentist daunting so normalising it can make it less scary.