Fun Games To Get Your Kids To Brush Their Teeth
Whether your kiddo’s teeth have just budded, are burgeoning with great success, or already has a mouthful, dental care is important to strengthen the teeth and prevent the risk of cavities. However, helping your child install the importance of oral care into their youthful noggins can be challenging. Heck, even adults find it difficult.
Most children lack the coordination to brush or floss their teeth and even more, the dedication. With toothbrushing rituals, you may encounter a sulky toddler or a rather resistant lad. But you can’t give in to the temptation of letting them skip a session at the sink to save yourself the horror of their tantrums.
Remember, cleaning your tot’s teeth twice a day is crucial to keep those pearly whites protected until they are replaced by permanent teeth. But how do you transform a brush battler into a kid that religiously brushes their teeth, all the while not being a fuddy-duddy about it? Give these toothbrushing games a try!
● Get your musical hats on!
Learning isn’t always easy, but having fun is! And what’s more fun than a sing-along session? It is a well-known fact that kids respond well to music. Whether you can belt out a high note or are often recognized for your tone-deaf quirks, that’s beside the point. If you are having trouble getting your kid to brush their teeth, it’s time to channel your inner Lady Gaga and let it rip.
Make up your own teeth-brushing tunes or sing along to some fun dental songs to motivate your kids to brush their teeth. You could even sing their favorite nursery rhymes by switching up a few of its lyrics to fit your toothbrushing plan. Two minutes of fun rhymes and your child is presented with healthy teeth!
● Time for a story!
Maybe your child doesn’t want to brush under normal circumstances, but perhaps a taut little Superhero cape could change their mind. Making up stories about brushing teeth can help your child indulge or even entertain the idea. Use your imagination and work up a story that will inspire your kid to brush their teeth.
Say, your child is Luke Skywalker and is fond of destroying evil monsters (tooth germs) with his toothbrush-shaped lightsaber. By creating fun little stories, you can encourage your kids to get to work on their teeth!
● Healthy competition at home!
Younger kids can learn the most from mimicking their older siblings. Turn your kid’s bathroom into a friendly battleground the next time they need to brush their teeth. Siblings can compete amongst themselves or with a parent for the ultimate title of Number 1 Cavity-Fighter!
Rewarding the winner with a little sticker or a small gift can encourage your kids to brush better and for longer. Brushing teeth should last a total of two minutes, so make sure you time it whenever you have battle masters in your bathroom!
● Happy tooth, sad tooth
Cut out two large teeth from construction paper for this game. Add a smiley face to one and a frowning face to the other. Now, let your kids go through a food magazine and cut out pictures of different foods. Divide these pictures of foods into the “happy pile” and the “sad pile”.
For instance, too much sugar can cause bad teeth. So, add all pictures of donuts, cakes, or candies to the sad pile. Similarly, veggies and fruits go into the happy pile. This game teaches kids to differentiate between teeth-friendly foods and foods that could potentially ruin their teeth.
● Time to eggs-periment!
For this game, you need two eggs. Lather a thick coat of toothpaste on both eggs and leave them for four days. Wash off the toothpaste and submerge one egg in soda overnight. Do the same for the other egg but in water. The areas that were covered with toothpaste should feel harder than the other unprotected areas.
You can teach kids that brushing their teeth every day can also protect their teeth against bacteria in sodas and candies!
Brushing and flossing aren’t always fun, so it is your job to make it engaging for your kids. Want more tips on how you can get your little ones to take dental hygiene seriously? Contact us now at Angel Dental to set up your appointment today 626-444-2002.