Brushing your teeth with fun: dental care for children

Don’t forget to brush your teeth

Which parents don’t know this: It’s already late, the child is dawdling, now it has to brush its teeth. An unnerved “go to bed, we’ll clean tomorrow”. An understandable reaction, but one that shouldn’t become a habit. Because the consequences can be caries, toothache or inflamed gums.

And not only that: the milk teeth pave the way for the permanent teeth and must be carefully cared for. Inflamed roots of milk teeth can severely disrupt the healthy development of subsequent teeth. And: infections sometimes lead to abscesses – and that may even mean a big cheek. The first set of teeth is also important for the formation of the jaw and supports language development . If the front teeth fall out early, the formation of sounds can be impaired.

Be a role model when brushing your teeth

It is very important that you are a role model for your child. Children learn by imitation. It is best to always brush your teeth together with your child and show them that it is part of your life and that not only your child has to brush their teeth.

Brush your teeth together

It makes sense to introduce collective family tooth brushing after meals. Because brushing your teeth together, always at the same time, motivates you. Milk teeth should be brushed for at least two minutes in the morning and evening. Up until school age, children need a “success check”: This means that the parents have to clean up if necessary. In our article ” When can my child clean itself? “ you can read about the age at which a child can take on which tasks when brushing their teeth. Brushing your teeth in the evening is best integrated into your bedtime ritual.

Explain to your child how to brush their teeth

So that your child not only chews on the toothbrush, but also brushes effectively, you have to explain to him what brushing his teeth is all about. Your child should understand that when brushing their teeth, they not only have to move the toothbrush back and forth in their mouth a little. If they know to brush to get something off their teeth, then they are brushing for a reason. The hint that they can only eat sweet things if their teeth are cleaned afterwards can also be helpful. So talk to your child about brushing their teeth early on and try to explain the meaning of brushing to them. Suitable children’s books on the subject can also be helpful.

Brushing your teeth with fun – ten tips

With a few other simple tricks, you can also playfully teach your child about dental care while brushing their teeth and ensure a lot of fun. Just try one or the other:

• I clean for mom, mom for me! Especially when your child is still small, this is a good way to convince them to brush their teeth. Your child can brush your teeth and you can brush your child. Eventually everyone will do it themselves upstairs and the other downstairs and over time brushing your teeth will be quite normal.
• Cleaning on time! A great hourglass or a toothbrush clock with funny noises might also motivate your child to brush their teeth. When the sand trickles through the glass or the clown hand on the clock keeps ticking, the child is distracted, but they also have to fulfill their task in time. bored? In the short time? Definitely not! And your teeth will be clean in no time.
• To sing! Little rhymes like “brush your teeth, brush your teeth, every child has to do that. Brush your teeth, brush your teeth ’til they’re clean,” spread a happy mood. Sing together with your child and then put the toothbrush in your mouth.
• Listen to music! Ever done a teeth brushing dance? Put your child’s favorite music in the bathroom and then music will be heard with the toothbrush in the mouth. If you notice that your teeth are not being brushed properly, the music stops. Maybe there’s even a great tooth brushing song?
• Bought it myself! Did your child choose their own toothbrush? If not, then give it a try. Take your child to a shop and let them choose the prettiest toothbrush for themselves. If he is enthusiastic about the toothbrush and finds it beautiful, he will usually be very proud to use it. Especially if you motivate your child to present it after the purchase: “Has grandma seen your great new toothbrush yet?”
• Hand puppet as a little helper! If your child likes hand puppets anyway, then this might be the right solution. Your child can have a great time with the hand puppet. If the doll then wishes so much to look into his mouth, but wants to take the toothbrush with him to be on the safe side and then brush his teeth on the left and right, it’s even fun.
• Teeth as friends! A little bedtime story about poor stuck teeth can also be a good way. At night, when your child is sleeping, the poor always scream very loudly because they are so dirty. On the other hand, if they are nice and clean, they are happy and can sleep well. With a bit of luck, your child will brush itself the next day – for the sake of their teeth, of course.
• Help the Tooth Monsters! If your child absolutely refuses to brush their teeth, then tell them about the tooth monsters. By brushing your teeth, your teeth get protection against the tooth monsters. But if your child doesn’t brush, they can attack and break their teeth. The consequence for your child: It no longer gets its favorite candy. Then your child will definitely brush their teeth! Of course you can also change the story.
• Hello tooth devil! Similar to the tooth monster: but it jumps through the mouth! If your child is supposed to brush his teeth, then open his mouth and look where he is sitting: “He is in the top left! Yes, scrub hard to make it go away! Yes, and now he’s hopped to the other side…” Your teeth will definitely be clean very quickly.
• Read books to brush your teeth! Picture books on the subject will help your child understand the processes and importance of brushing their teeth.

In our “ milk teeth ” section you will find many other helpful articles on the subject of brushing your teeth. We wish you a lot of fun and successful cleaning! You can also get great advice from our expert group, Dental Care Tips for Kids .