Carol Gugliemetti
Special Correspondent at Mom’s Choice Awards
The Daily Battle: Getting Kids to Brush Their Teeth
The dreaded “time to brush your teeth” shout from tired moms everywhere every night, which is usually always met with “aaawww, mom, I brushed them last night!” is an age-old parenting struggle. Balancing proper and consistent oral hygiene with the lure of “just this once won’t hurt” can feel like an uphill battle. But with the right strategies and tools, you can turn brushing time into a positive routine.
Five Tips to Encourage Better Dental Health
To help your kids maintain strong and healthy teeth, here are some helpful tips:
- Encourage your child to drink more water throughout the day and limit sugary drinks and snacks.
- Make sure they brush their teeth twice a day, for 2 minutes each time.
- Regularly visit the dentist for checkups.
- Supervise your children while they’re brushing their teeth up to age 7.
- Change your child’s toothbrush every 3 months to ensure proper cleaning.
Healthy Drinks for Happier Smiles
Finding healthy drink options for your children other than plain water can sometimes be challenging. Drinks need to taste good but also be low in sugar. One great choice is Greater Than, which comes in five delicious flavors made with plant-based electrolytes and only 1 gram of sugar. It’s a perfect alternative to sugary beverages. Check it out here.
Choosing the Right Toothbrush for Every Age
Brushing teeth for kids of all ages (even babies) is a good step in creating lifelong healthy habits, and it’s up to us as parents to instill this upon our children. The first thing to consider is the toothbrush they’re using. Is it worn? Is it the right size for their mouth?
There are some great choices of toothbrushes on the market today, even for the youngest. For example, the Grabease Double-Sided Toothbrush with Stage 1 Finger Brush offers two options, making it ideal for baby’s first tooth through toddler teeth. Learn more here.
Making Brushing Fun and Effective
Another key aspect of good brushing habits is the duration. Pediatric dentists recommend brushing for 2 minutes, twice a day. To make this easier, incorporate a fun, character toothbrush with a timer. The HOFISH Electric Toothbrush is a great option, featuring a 2-minute timer and four modes to accommodate kids aged 2 to 12. Turning brushing into a game can make a big difference!
Toothpaste that Kids Love (and Parents Approve)
A great-tasting toothpaste is also an excellent incentive for winning the brushing battles. If you can find one with added health benefits, even better! RADIUS KIDS Super-Duper Immuno-Power Toothpaste is a triple-action powerhouse infused with Elderberry, Vitamin C, and E to give their immune system an everyday boost. Plus, its bubble berry mint flavor is a hit with kids.
The Magic of the Tooth Fairy
We can’t talk about dental health without mentioning the amazing powers of the Tooth Fairy. Just the mere mention of her has kids wishing their teeth would fall out! Use this magic moment to reinforce good habits. Instead of the usual monetary gifts, consider leaving fun items under their pillow, such as stickers, a new dental health tool, or even a “tooth tracker” journal. You can also encourage them to read about the Tooth Fairy with books like The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache by Lori Orlinsky.
Involve Kids in Their Dental Care Choices
If they’re old enough, let your children be part of the process by choosing their toothbrush color or toothpaste flavor. The more involved they are, the more likely they will want to follow through on taking care of their teeth. This approach will encourage them to build lifelong healthy dental habits.
Conclusion: Happy Brushing, Healthy Habits
Brushing teeth is an essential part of your child’s overall health, and as parents, we play a key role in making it a positive experience. With the right tips, tools, and a bit of creativity, you can turn the nightly brushing battle into a fun and rewarding routine. Happy brushing!
About Carol Gugliemetti
Carol Guglielmetti is a Special Correspondent for Mom’s Choice Awards (MCA), a globally respected organization dedicated to honoring outstanding family-focused products, services, and media. She excels in content development and showcasing honorees at tradeshows, embodying MCA’s mission to provide trusted resources for parents and educators worldwide.
View all posts by Carol Gugliemetti here.
7 Comments on “February is Children’s Dental Health Month”
I’m glad this is a thing. Children’s Dental Month. Near where I live, there is a dentist who specializes in helping people who have suffered trauma while at the dentist. There are so many horror stories about people whose dentists actually hurt their mouths permanently, and the importance of choosing a quality dentist is real. It’s so important that we all do our best to make children feel comfortable at the dentist so that they don’t avoid dental work in the future.
Dental care has been a struggle. Getting my LO to brush, and then getting cavities treated. We’ve both become more vigilant about brushing and eating less sweets.
These are great tips to help kids brush. It is important to start early and making dental help fun and enjoyable.
The nightly toothbrushing struggle is so real in our house, but I love the idea of turning it into a fun routine with character toothbrushes and timers. Also, the Tooth Fairy tip is genius—what a great way to reinforce good habits!
Great Blog and Information for kids! Healthy teeth are so important
Good dental health is really important and impact the way you feel.
Having different character toothbrushes and fun toothpaste flavors can go a long way to making it easier to get your child to want to brush. And sometimes just doing it with them is enough to make it a fun experience.