Fun brushing techniques for children

8 August 2017

Fun brushing techniques for children

In April we discussed protecting your child’s dental health and I thought, during the school holidays,  I would follow-up with some tips on making their dental health routine fun.

1. When brushing their teeth, set your phone to act as a timer and play two minutes of their favourite song. This way they won’t even notice the brushing time pass. There are also numerous apps (search for ‘child brushing teeth app’ in the store} which play kid’s songs and are timed to last two minutes, as this is the optimum brushing time for them in both the morning and at night before they go to bed.
2. If you have a family calendar in the kitchen then add a gold star every time they brush properly. When they have 14 stars give them a healthy treat or do an activity they love. This weekly target will keep them engaged.
3. Use child friendly toothpaste. Mint or adult flavours can feel ‘burny’ or ‘tingly’ to children so look for the extensive range of age appropriate ones in flavours such as strawberry and bubble gum.
4. Use some of the online resources available like the Colgate website for children which includes brushing games.
5. Use a disclosing tablet to show them where the plaque builds up on their teeth. By having the bright colours on their teeth children get excited and become engaged in the activity. You can ask us at the practice or buy a packet of them from any pharmacy.