How to encourage your children to brush their teeth

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by: Geraldine Smith
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Word Count: 481
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 Time: 4:15 AM
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When you're a mum of three like me the bedtime routine becomes so natural that you could do it in your sleep - and I'm not denying I might have once or twice when it's been one of those days. When it gets to bedtime you can guarantee the kids will be tired, grumpy and not in any mood to do anything more strenuous than climb under the duvet and listen to their bedtime story. So, this all means that getting the kids ready for bed is a challenge every night and for my kids there are three little words that have them claiming exhaustion faster than any other…BRUSH YOUR TEETH!

Even for us grown-ups the thought of standing in the bathroom mirror brushing back and forth for a whole three minutes can seem too much of a challenge when our warm, comfy bed is calling out to us and so I think we can all empathise with the kids. Us grown ups though understand the reasons for doing it and if nothing else will motivate us to whip out the toothbrush before bed then one thing will do it for sure…the dentist chair jitters! We know the fate of the toothbrush dodgers and for the sake of avoiding that fate we force ourselves to the bathroom before we call it a day.

For my 8-year-old, 6-year-old and 5-year-old though telling them horror stories about sugar, tooth decay and the fearsome dentist chair is probably not going to pay off for me in the long run. We'll be having nightmares about giant rotting teeth; we'll be having tantrums and sleepless nights every time we go for a check-up and with my eldest, who is a bit of a perfectionist anyway, we'll be running for the toothbrush every time a grain of sugar passes her lips. So if we can't threaten them into brushing their teeth just as we threaten ourselves into it every night before bed and we can't let them go to bed with a mouth full of tooth decay waiting to happen, how do we find a happy medium?

The answer could be education our children and informing them in terms they understand. Research has recently focused on the most effective ways to encourage children to establish and maintain a good oral care regime. From singing a ditty to using a puppet, the more creative, the better! What has worked best for me is trying to find a link between something they enjoy and the brushing routine. It always helps to be in the know - there are so many informative dental websites offering practical tips, as well as the latest news in healthcare. Since dental care is linked to a variety of ailments - from gingivitis to strokes - it is worth instilling these good habits while they are young.

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