What to Do to Instill Brushing Habits in Children

Child Health and Safety

What to Do to Instill Brushing Habits in Children

Did you know that our country is significantly behind European countries and the USA in terms of regular dental visits and annual toothpaste usage? Oral and dental health issues are quite common in our society, and some of us, perhaps many of us, do not seek solutions until these problems worsen. Instilling brushing habits in children is crucial for this reason. As adults, we should be aware of our mistakes and neglects in this regard and strive to ensure our children have healthy teeth.

Meanwhile, do not make the mistake of thinking it is too late for yourself. If you have not paid the necessary attention to oral hygiene until now, start doing so from today. If you have issues with your teeth, visit a dentist immediately, learn about your condition, and follow the treatment plan recommended by the doctor. It is never too late to develop good habits and take care of yourself. You may not be able to fix all your problems, but you can prevent them from worsening and new issues from arising.

Ways to Instill Brushing Habits

There are many things that parents and caregivers can do to instill brushing habits in children. By applying the following recommendations, you can help your child have healthy teeth.

1. Start Teaching Brushing from a Young Age

The appropriate time to start using a toothbrush is when the back teeth begin to emerge, which usually occurs around 2.5 to 3 years of age. Additionally, children possess the mental capacity and motor skills necessary to learn to brush their teeth at this age. Until then, tooth cleaning should be done by parents or caregivers. After that, suitable materials should be provided, and the child should start cleaning their teeth independently.

It can be very challenging to have a preschool-aged child practice brushing techniques. The main goal during this period is to ensure the child develops a brushing habit.

2. Show Options for Suitable Toothbrushes and Toothpaste and Let Them Choose

Children are more likely to embrace and use something they have chosen themselves. Of course, you cannot completely let your child choose their toothbrush and toothpaste. They need to use age-appropriate products. Show them these options and let them know they can choose from among them.

Companies produce colorful, illustrated, and printed products for children. Children's toothbrushes and toothpaste alternatives are sold in packaging that will particularly appeal to children. When your child sees the options you present, they will find them visually appealing and will want to have them. However, the content and functions of the product are more important than its appearance. Therefore, you should also ensure that you are offering suitable, quality, healthy, and functional alternatives.

3. It Takes Time for Children to Learn to Brush, Be Patient

Little ones have clear, bright minds that are open to learning. However, the process of instilling brushing habits in children does not always progress quickly. It is unrealistic to expect a child whose fine motor skills are just beginning to develop to learn to do this task perfectly in a short time.

Therefore, encourage your child in this regard, but do not pressure them and give them time to learn. Appreciate what they can do, and guide them on their shortcomings.

4. Let Them Brush Their Teeth, But You Should Check

To clean teeth perfectly, it is necessary to brush with the right techniques. As mentioned above, preschool-aged children may not be able to apply these techniques. To instill a brushing habit in a child at this age, they should be allowed to do it themselves. However, small children often only brush the visible and easily accessible parts of their teeth. However, to prevent cavities, the spaces between the teeth and the chewing surfaces must also be thoroughly cleaned. Therefore, it is good to check your child's teeth after they brush and, if necessary, go over what they did.

5. Find Ways to Make Oral Hygiene Fun

Children can be impatient, easily distracted, and may not enjoy the process of brushing their teeth. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort to make brushing enjoyable for children. You can provide your child with colorful, different containers to hold their toothbrush and toothpaste, or play their favorite songs while they brush their teeth. But be careful not to let these things prevent them from taking the task seriously.

6. Being a Good Role Model is Very Effective in Instilling Brushing Habits

As parents, the most effective thing we can do to teach our children something, explain it, or instill a habit is to set an example with our behavior. If you are not someone who pays attention to oral hygiene, it will be more difficult for you to explain its importance to your child and ensure they are careful about it. Brush your teeth together with your child and do it with joy. This behavior will be encouraging and will help them learn to do it correctly by watching you.

7. Prepare a Brushing Chart

To encourage your child to brush their teeth and make it a habit, prepare a brushing chart. This can be a weekly chart. Mark the times they brushed their teeth on the chart with colorful stickers. You can also find other fun methods for marking.

Rewarding your child with a small gift occasionally for brushing regularly for a week can also be effective. But do this in moderation and at intervals so that it does not create a situation where they brush their teeth just to receive a gift. It is important for them to understand that they need to do this for their own health and appearance.

What Should a Children's Toothbrush Be Like?

When choosing a toothbrush for your child, prefer those with soft bristles (but not overly soft), flexible handles, and appropriate sizes for their mouth.

Toothpaste is Not Recommended for Children Under 3 Years Old!

The vast majority of dentists do not find it appropriate for children to use toothpaste before the age of 3. When it comes time to choose toothpaste for children, it is important to pay attention to the content rather than the flashy words and promises in advertisements.

Tooth Brushing Games for Children

If your child is not responding to your calls, take a beloved doll or animal-shaped toy in your hand and make a more fun call from its mouth.

Play a toothbrush selection game. Take them to a shelf filled with children's toothbrushes and invent a competition to see who can find the prettiest toothbrush. Then explain that they need to use it to make their toothbrush happy.

Create variations of the tooth brushing game or dentistry game. Get toys that can have their teeth brushed and encourage your child to clean their teeth.

Advice for Parents Who Want to Instill Brushing Habits in Their Children

* Just like in many areas, your child will take you as an example in this matter. Be a good example by being meticulous about oral and dental care.

* Do not let your child brush their teeth alone until they are 7 years old. Be present and ensure they are brushing correctly. If necessary, fill in their gaps. Teach them the correct way if they are doing an incorrect or insufficient job.

* Do not allow your child to skip brushing their teeth before bed just because they come home tired from school. They may indeed be tired, but they need to not neglect this.

Dental Care and Cleaning for Infants

Dental cleaning and care for infants should begin when the first teeth appear, around 6 to 8 months of age. After the first milk teeth emerge, the baby starts to be fed with a bottle, usually consuming solid or liquid foods that contain acids or sugars. Starting dental cleaning at this time prevents damage and decay to milk teeth, which have a more organic and delicate structure compared to other teeth.

Cleaning milk teeth is important because their decay or premature extraction can lead to permanent teeth emerging from the wrong place or becoming impacted.

When your baby's first teeth appear, you can clean them twice a day, after morning feeding and before bedtime, using a clean, damp cloth or gauze.