How to Create Healthy Brushing Routine for Kids
It is high time to dive into the best way for helping our kids establish some healthy brushing habits. It is said that oral hygiene is not the only piece to the puzzle for optimal oral health for kids.
When we consult with an experienced dentist, it can be easily found that oral hygiene plays a very big role. Below are some harmful steps to be applied for setting up a healthy mouth cleaning routine for young kids!
Modeling Healthy habits – the Key
Kids are considered to be the most amazing sponges. They are hardwired for copying and imitating the habits of others! Hence, in order to help young kids learn about oral hygiene, it is essential to model healthy oral hygiene habits by their elders. Modeling of healthy habits requires that their elders care for their own oral health in front of kids rather than putting the same off until they are in bed.
Getting Permission for Going inside Youngsters Mouth
Parents need to model a program even for helping their children at the time of brush and to help each other by viewing what is going inside the mouth.
Use a mirror to take a better look around inside your mouth. People generally copy this habit from their parents! Similarly, children will get inspired by looking at their elders!
Importance of Helping kids with Oral Hygiene
Bottom line is that young children don’t have the manual dexterity to clean their own teeth in an effective manner. They do, however, have the ability to learn the best ways to take great care of teeth and gums provided they elders are taught by their parents.
Holding children down to Brush their Teeth
It must be considered that pinning down a child to brush teeth is really a terrible idea. It is good to consult with an experienced dental hygienist in Catford to get ideas and respectful alternative to pin children to brush their teeth in a peaceful manner.
Controlling children to brush teeth is very much helpful in terms of oral hygiene. Oral hygiene is so important that it must be done regardless of the child disliking or resisting, but it is best to explain to them the benefits instead of creating a bad connotation with brushing teeth.
Though working with children is never easy, it must be realized that this stage in their development is highly critical. But unfortunately, applying the “might is right” attitude at the time of cleaning teeth of child risks substantial negative impact on that individual and relationship associated that include:
- Establishing a negative association into consciousness of children with oral hygiene
- Setting stage for other oral fixations like thumb sucking and smoking
- Forcing of another alternate
It can be made out that using this might is right approach will only make tomorrow’s brushing highly difficult! therefore its best to take another approach altogether!
Steps for Creating Healthy Brushing Routine.
In order to make brushing teeth an easy and enjoyable for young kids along with adults, it is best to plan ahead and creating a game out of it. Here is something you can try:
- Pre-planning – Planning the approach is critical for establishing a successful oral hygiene routine.
- Required tools – Own toothbrush, toothbrush of toddler and a timer.
- Determining the reward – The award must be determined on the basis of likings of child. Generally its best to make the reward also another good habit, like a good story book read to them.
- Determining the sequence – Children respond well to the if-then sequence. This can make it more enjoyable for them.
- Positive feedback and enabling – Parents are advised to offer encouragement as they move through the steps and mirror your actions.
- Making it routine – The idea is to make oral hygiene a positive routine rather than fighting with children regarding this matter.
Daily Oral Hygiene Game Plan
Organizing a daily oral hygiene game plan is very much essential for children to enjoy good oral health. One of the best examples demonstrating the same include the following:
- Going for the sequence after breakfast as one feels fresh and more patient in motivating the child.
- Brushing together with the child so that the child may learn the best way of brushing. They must be encouraged to brush!
- After the turn is over, the parents must take the initiative to brush their teeth. After brushing your own teeth, the child must be invited to brush their teeth carefully as well. Ask them to look for any food in-between their teeth.
- They must be invited for swishing with water plus spitting as well. This is the best method of cleaning mouth.
The child must be explained about steps to be taken every day through a routine! One must resist the temptation to shift into “might is right” in order to make them more used to routine. This will help the child to establish a positive association towards caring for oral health.

