At Millennium Dental we know how tough it can be to get kids interested in dental health…
Children are not always keen to keep their teeth healthy – and are usually side-tracked with doing more fun things like, well, absolutely anything else. To them, cleaning their teeth is just another chore, and the key to getting them interested in their oral health is to make it more fun!
At Millennium Dental in Mosman, we are dedicated to helping you and your child achieve optimal oral health for life, and is why we have decided to help parents make teeth cleaning more fun! Read on to discover how you can create an amusing and entertaining job of cleaning their teeth.
Get your child to brush to their favourite song…
Brushing should be carried out for approximately two minutes, and the best way to get your child to stay interested is to brush to their favourite song! This will help them keep track of time and encourage them to continue brushing until the song ends. Brushing for two to three minutes allows your child to completely clean away any bacteria that has accumulated in the mouth – preventing any decay from forming.
Turn the chore into a fun group activity…
Instead of sending your child off to clean their teeth, go with them and clean your teeth together. This will allow you to watch your child’s technique and help them learn by watching how you brush. Make the process fun by making a tooth-brushing dance (as a way to get them to brush every tooth), or create names for each tooth. By having you beside them, they can mimic your movements and will eventually learn the correct technique to brushing their teeth.
Reward good behaviour…
It’s not a new concept, but rewarding good behaviour will keep your child motivated to maintain good oral health habits. For example, you could give them a weekly surprise for having brushed their teeth properly every day, which will encourage them to continue. Just don’t give them candy or chocolate as a reward!
Get them involved at the supermarket…
Next time you are shopping for new oral health products, get your child to pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste – this will make them be excited to use their new oral health products and maintain their oral health.
Getting your child involved in oral health sets them up for life…
By getting your child excited about maintaining their oral health from an early age will build good oral health routines later in life. We recommend bringing your child to our Mosman dental practice by the time your child has their third birthday, as this will allow us to expertly assess their oral state and track their tooth development. It will also allow us to discover any issues early and recommend any early intervention to give them the best start in life.
At Millennium Dental, our aim is to achieve the following five outcomes for your child by the age of 16:
- Your child has all their permanent teeth present
- All the teeth are in the correct place
- The supporting tissues are healthy
- All the back teeth are fissure sealed
- All the teeth are decay free and restored
We are absolutely committed to ensuring the oral health of your child, which means making sure their teeth are clean, straight, in correct positioning and their jaw is aligned.
By doing this we give your child the best chance at retaining their natural teeth for life.
