By Teeth Video 
Taking care of your teeth is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. It’s not a difficult process nor does it take a very long time but it can be hard to remember to do, especially for kids. They regularly do not brush or floss properly and end up growing up to get dental implants or even needing oral surgery. In order to maintain a healthy smile, kids need to learn how to properly take care of their teeth and why. It’s important to start at a young age so that they can create good habits as they get older. Here are a few tips on how to teach your young children how to brush and floss correctly.
Phone Apps
Technology is a wonderful thing. There are several apps that you can download on to your smart phone that will keep your child’s attention for the time that you are brushing their teeth. Some will even show you where and how to brush each section of your mouth and for how long. One app in particular allowed the child to have a sort of virtual pet that they took care of. They needed to feed it, clean up after it and yes, brush ita’s teeth twice a day. These teeth brushing episodes are able to be timed so that they are done when the child needs to do theirs and they can brush together. It’s set on a timer for two minutes to make sure the child brushes for long enough, in the correct places. While the child and the pet are brushing, a narrator talks about the importance of dental health and why dental implants are not the preferred choice.
Rewards
While giving a child candy because they brushed their teeth is fairly counter productive, you can give your child some sort of reward. Because you’ll need to do this twice daily for some time, you don’t want to start off with anything extravagant. If they enjoy balloons, brush early enough so that they have time to play with a balloon or two before they start their day or head off to bed. Buying new toys or going on trips are not recommended rewards. You can also quiz your child and have them explain to you what excellent oral health is and why it’s important as well as how to avoid dental implants and keep your own teeth for as long as possible. Every right answer could result in a small reward, giving your child something to look forward to.
Good Tasting Toothpaste
Some regular toothpastes can actually somewhat feel like it is burning the mouth. Children tend to swallow a lot of the toothpaste and it can cause their tongue and throat to burn a little bit. This is not dangerous or bad for them but it can put them off wanting to brush their teeth. Buying children’s flavored toothpaste is a great way to encourage them to brush their teeth more often. If you buy one that is good enough, you may find that they will be asking you if they can brush their teeth instead of you dragging them to the bathroom twice a day. However, keep an eye out for the amount of fluoride that is or isn’t in the toothpaste you buy. Consult with your dentist about how much your child should be getting at their specific age.
Games and Competitions
You know your children best. If they function better if something is a competition then make it that and award prizes to the winner each time. Or maybe make it some sort of game or sing a song to go with the brushing and flossing process. Whatever works for you kids is what you need to do. These are only suggestions but they are great ways to try and get your kid to enjoy teeth brushing time. It’s definitely not something that can be put off for very long so you will definitely be needing to figure it out soon enough or your kid will end up having to get dental implants and dentures way before it’s their time.