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Methods to Help Teach Your Children to Brush

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A good habit to teach your kids is brushing their teeth. It is not an easy thing to teach, but we will try to provide some ideas to help make such a task enjoyable as well as instructive.

However, we need to cover proper brushing first. You should start by holding the brush at a 45-degree angle from the gums, and then brush back and forth in short motions. Remember to get all sides, including the tops. Turning the brush to a 90-degree angle makes it easier to clean the backs of your front teeth. You can wrap things up by brushing your tongue.

Now that we have touched on how to brush, when should you start teaching your children? You would start by brushing their teeth when they are too young to do it themselves. When they become six-year-olds, they are often ready to start brushing themselves.

You will best help your children by brushing your own teeth. Children often learn by watching their parents. If they see you do it, they are more likely to get into the habit themselves. You can also take some time to demonstrate and explain the techniques so they have a visual reference.

You can take this demonstration a step further and make it a game or activity. It does not have to be a game with a winner, just encourage them to imitate your brushing and praise them individually for the progress they make. Another idea is to create a brushing song to perform to encourage them to follow along. Plenty of brushing songs exist that you can use if music is not an attribute for you.

We hope you find these ideas helpful for instructing your children. If you need a little assistance with keeping your family’s teeth clean and healthy, come visit us at Sunny Smiles Dentistry in Ventura, California. Our pediatric dentistss are happy to help you with this goal. You need only call 805-644-5516 to schedule an appointment.