by Megan from Minnesota
Trying to get my kids to brush their teeth by doing it for them did not turn out well for me. Every time I tried, they would yank the toothbrush out of my hand, telling me in angry tones that they could do it themselves. After a few attempts of doing it for them, I threw my hands up and stepped back.
It took months for them to be able to understand how to move the brush so that it cleaned their teeth, but eventually they were able to do it on their own. I made it a habit to have everyone brushing together so that they could see what to do, watching me brush my teeth.
On the first visit to the dentist we got glowing reviews for how well the kids were cleaning their teeth. There were a few spots that weren’t getting cleaned, but other than that everyone working with us was very impressed with what a good job I was doing. I was honest and said that my kids were doing it themselves, after learning and copying me.
Flossing, on the other hand, was where I had to get my hands dirty and reach in to make sure the floss was getting in between teeth. At this point, my kids were used to having floss pushed around their mouths from the dentist, so they knew what to expect. It took a few days of helping out before they were able to do it on their own.
Note from wichealth: Dentists usually recommend parents brush their child's teeth for them until they are around 7 years old, while also teaching their children to brush their own teeth at the same time. Learn more about toothbrushing in our lesson called 2 Minutes, 2 Times A Day For A Healthy Smile! Find it in on wichealth.org in the Children 1-5 category.
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Megan.
About Megan
My name is Megan. I am a stay at home mom with three children all under the age of 10. I live in Duluth, Minnesota with my husband, 3 kids, two dogs, and two cats.
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