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How to get children to brush their teeth? (Part I)

Child dental care

Parents would like to have a magic wand or a button to press so that children automatically clean their teeth with great enthusiasm and in a very effective way.

I am also a mum and although I have not yet found this button on any of my daughters, I can share some tips that may help you:

1.- Between 0- 3 years old:

Children at the beginning think that their mum and they are only 1 like when they were in their tummy, it is a good time for them to see us brushing our teeth and let them play with a gum stimulator, for example, while we brush. They will want to imitate us later on.

After the parents have washed their children, we can first use a gum stimulator and then a baby brush to massage their gums and brush their teeth as they come out.

2.- Between the ages of 3-6 years.

The first time I read that the American Orthodontic Society recommended that children should clean their own teeth from the age of 3 years old, my eyes widened like a cartoon. Well, yes, from the age of 3 they have to start cleaning their teeth by themselves and the truth is that they can do it perfectly well, it’s a great age because they want to be grown up, they start school and they appreciate being treated like children and not like babies.

Although you may already be rubbing your hands together thinking that when they are 3 years old you give them a toothbrush and that’s it, your problems are over, there are some details to take into account:

  • They are going to brush in their own way, so if you correct them too much or scold them too much they will lose their “desire to be older” and although in the short term it may seem to you that by cleaning them yourself they will stay better in the long term you will be condemned to continue cleaning their teeth forever….
  • Calm down because although it may seem to you that they clean themselves terribly, at this time of year nature has given them short and separate teeth (in most cases) that are easy to clean even if they only chew on the brush and play with it.
  • If you brush with them at the same time, as they are a bit repetitive, they will end up copying you and little by little they will get better at it (be very, very patient).
  • If they bite the toothbrush remind them that you don’t bite the toothbrush, show them again (and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, ad infinitum) how mum/dad does it and my advice is to buy the cheapest toothbrushes available in the supermarket so that it doesn’t hurt to change them every 1 or 2 weeks if necessary.
Portrait ot attractive little child looking at camera, keeps red toothbrush in hands, ready for brushing teeth, isolated over blue wall in bathroom, being glad to take bath and photographed.

Remember that from the age of 2 years it is advisable for the child to visit the dentist for the first time to make sure that everything is going well (like a well child check-up) and to become familiar with the family’s trusted professional. This check-up should be repeated once a year.

I hope you find this post useful. If you have any questions please contact me and I will get back to you. If you have any tricks that work for you to make your children brush their teeth well and alone, I would be grateful if you could tell me about them to improve the oral health of our little ones.