Does teeth brushing time in your house look something like this?
You are not alone. It is more common than you think. But look at it from your child’s perspective – it is actually very scary for someone to hold you down and force stuff into your mouth – particularly for toddlers who don’t like being in one place for too long. For some other children, their mouths are quite sensitive so the whole process is very uncomfortable.
But let’s get straight to the tips!
1. Make them think it’s their own idea!
You know and we know that it isn’t but we can make them think so to take away the fear!
Let them choose their own flavour of toothpaste/toothbrushes when shopping.
Brush in front of a mirror so that they can see what is happening and be a part of it instead of blind wrestling. Let your child brush alone for the first minute – yes even if it means just letting them lick a little bit of toothpaste. You can then “helpfully” finish up even though you know they have done an amazing job (they haven’t). This just makes the whole process more familiar and less daunting.
2. Make it FUN!
Sing rhymes, favourite songs or make up your own brushing song. Use a timer – like our delicious Apple Timer
The important thing is to be consistent so that your child will understand the routine and how long it will take. There can even be dancing. Demonstrate while brushing your teeth how much fun it can b.
Make it an activity to look forward to and not to fear.
3. Try alternatives to conventional brushes.
Some children have sensitive gums etc. so they have real cause to hate brushing. For some children, you can go for other options like the Nuk Oral Massage Brush , toothettes or any other option which can desensitize your child’s mouth. You can put food on the Nuk Brush for instance so that they can get used to the brush and other tastes.
Try allowing your child put their brush in their mouths at times other than brushing – just so that they can get used to it.
So there you have it! 3 tips to turn wrestling time back to teeth brushing time!