3 top tips for creating good dental habits in kids

For kids, brushing teeth is not always the most exciting way to spend 5 minutes of time.  There’s often a multitude of exciting things to do all around them, or a bed to jump into, so spending time on something that doesn’t quite register as important (yet) does not seem as valuable. Plus 5 minutes is like a lifetime to a 3-year-old!

Here’s 3 tips that’ll make the process and the progress an adventure rather than a chore.

The Equipment

First up, the balance between the quality and “experience” of your equipment is imperative (saying equipment for toothbrushes and toothpastes sounds strange 😊). Enjoying the process solves half the challenge, so investing in an experiential toothbrush, and toothpastes that have great dental properties (like probiotics) and great flavour profiles is imperative.

Electric toothbrushes have a novelty factor, and the experience for kids in interesting and different. Its also easier for them to partake and learn without damaging gums.

Great flavours also make the experience a lot more enjoyable. Mint can be polarising for kids. You may not know it, but their frustration at teeth cleaning time might be driven by their dislike for the taste rather than the actual brushing experience. Just be vigil for any toothpastes containing sugar, its completely counterintuitive to brush with a sugar-based product!

Experiential brushes and great flavours were the foundation for the development of Little Gnashies – the brand was founded on the premise that great habits should be enjoyable, and feel beneficial to you each time you repeat them.

Inclusion

Never underestimate the power of empowerment, especially for young kids. If they have the opportunity to do something themselves, they feel a sense of ownership, which increases the likelihood of repetition.

This means ensuring you have enough time both morning and night to allow your kids the opportunity to discover their brushing techniques themselves. With your guidance, and good equipment, the opportunity provided to kids to learn to brush themselves is the foundation for a great habit. It’s recommended to start out by brushing for them for a set period of time, and then passing the toothbrush over to them to finish of the job. Around 2 minutes is recommended. This gives them the final say in the process, and gives them ownership of the time invested.

Timing

Habits are formed through repetition. The best way to create these for kids is to ensure you have structure around your timings. Twice a day is recommended, and best after meals so breakfast and dinner make sense.

It’s great to create an easy to remember rhyme or word collection to involve kids in the structure of the morning or evening. For mornings is could be “bed (making it), breakfast, brush and bye-bye”. Or “up, eat, teeth, pack, play”. For evenings it could be “bite, brush, book, bed”. Anything that’s easy to remember, and provides structure for your child to include brushing into the schedule.

For more tips and tricks follow our Instagram or Facebook page, and enjoy teaching your family habits that will serve them for years to come!