Want to Get Kids to Brush? Here’s How!

Just because school is out for the summer doesn’t mean a child’s schedule is free. There is a lot to do in El Dorado Hills, CA! Swimming, biking, playing sports, hanging out with friends — it’s a full schedule! But, of course, the last thing kids want to do during the summer is more learning. After all, school is out! Still, children have life skills they need to learn and continue to implement. One of these is proper brushing and flossing of their teeth. 

Children need to brush their teeth for two minutes twice daily for good oral health. If children enjoy doing something, they tend to continue doing it. But how do you get a child to enjoy brushing? It takes a little creativity from you, but we’re here with some helpful suggestions and resources for parents.

So how do you get your kids to brush? Simple. Make it fun! Simply telling a child “go brush your teeth” doesn’t always work. And even if they do brush, they may not be doing it properly. 

It’s important to supervise them, particularly in the beginning. In fact, it’s recommended children be supervised during brushing until they’re about 8 years old. 

If brushing time is going to be a family affair, why not make it a fun one? Be creative, mix it up, make this life skill an enjoyable one! Not only will you and your kids have fun, but they’ll learn an important life lesson that will carry them on a path to great oral hygiene.

Here are a few of our all-time favorite ways to make brushing fun for kids:

• Off to the Races: Call the tooth-brushing like a horse race. “And the Squeaky Clean Incisors are in front, they’re getting clean, but Brush, the Canines, are on the inside, with Don’t Forget the Molars in the rear!”
• Dance Party!: Crank up their favorite tunes and do a dance while they brush. Ensure you have a song that lasts at least two minutes and challenges them to brush as long as the song plays. 
• Funny Faces: You have to make funny faces for the two minutes the child is brushing. If they stop, the funny faces stop, so they have to keep going. 
• Red Light and Green Light — Teeth Edition: When you say “Green Light!” they have to brush. When you say “Red Light!” they have to freeze! Say “Green Light!” to unfreeze them and start brushing again. 
• Talking Toothbrush: Do a running commentary of the toothbrush. Let it talk while the child is brushing their teeth. 
• Do As I Do: Brush your own teeth and have your child imitate you. Throw in a few dance moves or silly poses to make it extra fun!
• Choo-Choo Train: Turn the toothbrush into a train! Make train sounds as they brush, and “blow the horn” when it’s time to move from the front to the back or from the upper teeth to the lower ones. 
• Balanced Routine: Challenge your child by letting them challenge you! Stand on one foot while they brush the lower teeth and switch to the other foot when it’s time for them to move to the upper teeth. Can they brush longer than you can balance?

These are just a few suggestions to get you started, but you and your child can make up your own games and use them to make brushing fun. It’s easy to make up fun games, tasks, and routines to keep your child brushing. What ideas do you have?

It’s often tempting to let the brushing habit slide a day or so — particularly if they’re up late or one or both of you is tired. Vacation and other schedule disruptions can also tempt you to let brushing slide. The problem is, breaking from a routine with kids can make them think it’s not an important habit to keep. So it’s vital to have your child brush their teeth every day, no matter the circumstances. 

Keep up the routine by charting their progress each week. Kids love it when they can see the good work they’re doing. Don’t have a chart? Well, you do now! 

It’s often tempting to let the brushing habit slide a day or so — particularly if they’re up late or one or both of you is tired. Vacation and other schedule disruptions can also tempt you to let brushing slide. The problem is, breaking from a routine with kids can make them think it’s not an important habit to keep. So it’s vital to have your child brush their teeth every day, no matter the circumstances. 

Keep up the routine by charting their progress each week. Kids love it when they can see the good work they’re doing. Don’t have a chart? Well, you do now! 

Here’s a handy chart you can download and print out to keep track of your child’s progress. You can even laminate it and use dry markers so that you can keep it every week. 

(Don’t have a laminating machine? Here’s a fun life hack…use clear packing tape and tape over the spots you want to mark with the dry-erase marker! Of course, the thicker packing tape works best.)

Keeping a chart gives your child a visual guide to great oral hygiene routines. It also lets you see if there are areas that need to be improved. For example, are they missing brushing time more in the morning than at night? Do they tend to forget to brush on the weekends? 

Seeing the problem areas makes it easier to address them. 

Brushing can be even more fun when you add a personal touch for your child. So how do you do that? Here are a few ideas:

• Bling the Brush: A simple soft-bristled toothbrush will do the job, but a spinning toothbrush that sings or lights up is just COOL! If that’s a little much, consider getting a toothbrush with their favorite character on it. Trust us; there are a few Spongebob and Disney Princess toothbrushes out there. Children may be more inclined to use their toothbrush if it’s something they picked out or if it has a favorite character or feature.
• Add More Character: Use songs or sayings from their favorite characters to encourage them to brush. A few examples include Elmo’s “Brushy Brushy,” Daniel Tiger’s “Teeth Brushing Song,” and Mickey Mouse’s “Brush to the Beat.” (WARNING: These will get stuck in your head. But… it was going to be that or Baby Shark, right?)
• Get Family Involved: Make the time to brush into family time! For example, have your child’s siblings brush simultaneously, or you and your child brush at the same time of the morning and evening. You’ll not only entertain them, but you’ll also set the example of maintaining good oral hygiene habits.
• Reward Them: Kids respond well to positive reinforcement, so reward your child when they brush and floss regularly and correctly. Give them a gold star or favorite character sticker. Perhaps the Tooth Fairy drops them a note. Maybe a week of perfect hygiene habits means an extra half-hour in the pool or the park. There are many ways to reward your child!

Children will keep their habits if they have more reasons to enjoy them. It’s a simple concept, but it takes work and creativity to make that come to life. Adding a personal touch improves the chances the child will maintain the routine. In addition, keeping that routine now will lead to a lifetime of great oral hygiene and, hopefully, far fewer dental issues in the long run.

Small children have baby teeth that will fall out sooner or later. So there’s really not an urgent need to brush, right? Actually, that’s not right, and here’s why.

Baby teeth can get cavities as easily as permanent teeth. Cavities can cause pain, but untreated cavities can cause an infection, which is even more serious. The tooth decay can spread to other teeth when left unchecked. Baby teeth that fall out early due to tooth decay can cause permanent teeth to come in incorrectly. 

Proper brushing with fluoride toothpaste and the use of dental floss also helps prevent gum disease. However, a lack of proper hygiene can also cause baby teeth to fall out prematurely and permanent teeth to erupt incorrectly. 

Baby teeth are also important for proper eating, drinking, and speech, and tooth decay can be detrimental to these tasks. So it’s just as important to keep baby teeth clean as permanent teeth.

In addition to maintaining good oral hygiene, it’s important to have your child undergo routine dental cleanings. Magic Smiles Dentistry can give your child a sparkling smile they deserve, and your child can keep those great teeth-cleaning habits up between visits with us!

We offer exceptional care in a relaxed environment. If you’re in the El Dorado Hills, CA, area, we’d love to work with you! So give us a call or stop by for a visit to speak with us, or click the button above to make an appointment. We’re looking forward to working with you and your family!