Any adult is well aware of the purpose for which we brush our teeth and why we do it every day. Children do not understand our arguments, the whole process seems to them a heavy duty, which adults impose on them out of harm. How to convince a child to brush their teeth? This task is perhaps the most difficult, but experienced mothers have found a way out of this situation. Today we will share the basic recommendations for accustoming your baby to oral hygiene.
First skills
Many mothers, when trying to get a child to brush their teeth, face protest and an angry look from the latter. Be more tolerant of this, because the baby is not yet fully aware of the importance of this process, and your stories are perceived by him as boring notations. At best, he'll just pretend to be diligently brushing his teeth, actually swiping over them just a couple of times.
In order to teach a child the basic principles of oral care, the educational process should begin at a very early age. With the appearance of the first tooth, start wiping it with damp gauze or special napkins. If several teeth have already "settled" in the mouth of the crumbs, then we pay attention to the gaps between the teeth. Thus, oral hygiene will become a habitual daily activity for the baby, which is still being carried out by the mother.
Attention! Related article: at what age should a child start brushing their teeth and how to clean them correctly - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/uhod-za-rebenkom/kogda-nachinat-chistit-zubki-detyam.html
By the age of two, teach your toddler to rinse his mouth with water, especially after eating. Explain that this procedure is also hygienic, but he can already do this on his own, without the help of his elders.
Any kid wants to have "grown-up" things, so at the same age, you can solemnly give your child his first toothbrush (no paste yet). Choose a brush carefully. Pay attention that the handle is thick, otherwise it will be uncomfortable for the child to hold it in his little hand. Choose a soft bristle so that the baby does not hurt delicate gums. Of course, at this age, the baby will not yet be able to fully brush his teeth, and will begin to get used to his instrument.
But not everything is as easy as we would like. Children begin to be capricious, resist and express their dissatisfaction. And in this case, parents should be smart and unobtrusively instill in the child the basic rules for dental care.
12 tips for parents
- No pressure
As the familiar character used to say, "Calm, only calm"... Stock up on them, and also patience and valerian :). This does not mean at all that you need to silently and patiently allow the baby to mock you and not fulfill the requirements of your elders. On the contrary, you need to be persistent, but within reasonable limits.
The sequence of actions is also important. Today we cannot allow what was forbidden yesterday and vice versa. Allowing a child not to brush their teeth is for some reason considered normal. Reward him for merits with something else, and the issue of hygiene should be a constant companion of life.
At the same time, the child should not be forced to brush his teeth while standing next to the belt. This method will only work at a young age. Once a child reaches adolescence, he may completely stop caring for himself solely out of a sense of protest.
There is no need to rush and scold the child if something does not work out for him.
- We clean together
A personal example works more effectively than any explanation and persuasion. Take your baby with you to the bathroom for your morning routine. Give the brush to him too, let him try to repeat your movements.
Gradually, the game will develop into a habit, and then the child will catch up with you on his way to the bathroom.
- “Fantastic” toothbrush
Buy your child a bright / beautiful fruit-flavored toothbrush and toothpaste. It is advisable to purchase the brush together, let the baby himself choose the one that he likes best. Now they are so diverse: with cartoon characters, and different colors, and even with "delicious" smells. But check the other characteristics of the brush when buying. For example, bristles should be synthetic, because natural bristles dry out worse and are more attractive to microbes.
The toothpaste should also attract attention. In addition to the obvious benefits for adults, you need to pay attention to its taste. This factor attracts or repels children in the first place.
All acquisitions are best done at the pharmacy and after visiting the pediatric dentist. A specialist will tell you what the height of the toothbrush pile should be, what components are required for children's toothpaste and what is undesirable to purchase.
- Visit the dentist
Indeed, you need to go to the doctor. And not only for the next portion of moralizing, but also for real help.
Dental clinics are now equipped with many different teaching aids. Children are shown cartoons of the desired topic. After the training videos, the kids are shown the rules of brushing teeth on dummies. Such lessons with visual demonstrations cannot "evaporate" from memory.
Watch the cartoon "Kind Doctor Dentist"
You can do the same at home. Now it is not difficult to purchase a toy with large teeth and ask your kid to show you how to clean your teeth correctly (Child and dentist: how to set up a child and successfully cure a tooth).
- Fixing successes
Success, if it has been noticed and noted, is always an additional incentive to new achievements. Previously, in schools, first-graders were hung on the wall with a large poster and for each good answer a student was glued in front of him with an asterisk.
Feel free to take this method into service. Not necessarily stars, let them be any figures, stickers that your child likes. But the reward must be thought out in advance. A certain number of stickers should bring a certain reward to the baby.
- Motivation
And where without her? By forcing, you provoke a protest in the child. The kid should not feel that the elders are imposing their point of view on him. With good motivation, the child himself will not even notice how he begins to follow your recommendations. Capture him through the game or come up with a scary fairy tale with a good ending in which all caries escaped from the toothbrush.
- The right to choose
Even here, the child must be given a choice. But this is not a choice of "brush or not brush your teeth" plan. Let him choose his own toothbrush and toothpaste. And now we don't mean the moment of purchase. Make sure to have 2-3 different brushes for your crumb and the same amount of toothpaste on the shelf in the bathroom. Variety every day - this can hardly get boring.
- Cartoons
Not all adults know that several cartoons and films for children have already been released on the topic of dental care. Various stories about reluctant kids who refused to brush their teeth will have a certain effect.
Here are some videos on this topic:
- Competitive spirit
This is also a kind of motivation. Well, what kid doesn't want to be a leader? Or win by competing with your mom? For example, think of a competition who will have whiter teeth after brushing 🙂. Be sure to prepare a small prize for the winner. Let it be just an apple, but won by him on his own.
- Play
Any process will become much more exciting if it takes place in a playful way. In this case, the child performs all actions easily and naturally and does not perceive them as a heavy burden.
Turn on your imagination and analyze what your baby likes to play the most. It is this game that should become the basis for your invention. Does he love to play Spiderman? Then we can say that bad breath will declassify the hero or will not allow him to cope with the next criminal. It's all up to your imagination ...
- Get an hourglass
What are they needed for? To calm the baby. Some cute creatures feel that their parents make them brush their teeth for too long. Agree with your child in advance that the whole process will take exactly as long as the sand is poured. As a result, the baby will stop whining and will be guided by the clock.
Just get those watches that are designed for 2 minutes. This is not a very long period of time for a child, and the paste will just have time to "work".
- Taking care of toys
Children love to imitate adults, so give your child that chance. Let him teach toys to brush teeth by his own positive example. After showing the whole process to his toy friends, the child can brush their teeth too.
It is advisable to use toys made of plastic or other hard materials for this purpose. It's a pity to wet your plush friends, and they will dry for a long time.
By the age of eight, a child, properly accustomed to oral hygiene, can already independently and fully brush his teeth. Giving him the first skills is not at all difficult, you just need to show a little patience and turn on your imagination.
How do you teach your kids to brush their teeth? Share your experience in the comments ...
Be sure to read the article on the topic: at what age should a baby start brushing his teeth, what hygiene products to choose for the oral cavity and a few tips for parents - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/uhod-za-rebenkom/kogda-nachinat-chistit-zubki-detyam.html
7 useful purchases that will teach your baby to brush their teeth https://razvitie-krohi.ru/veshhi-dlya-malyisha/7-poleznyih-pokupok-kotoryie-priuchat-malyisha-chistit-zubyi.html
Doctor Hare and Dental Protectors
Legend of the Tooth Kingdom
