We all know that dental care is important, especially when it comes to our children. Yet encouraging children to brush regularly and follow a healthy dental care routine can be a challenge. In fact, most kids don’t even want to brush their teeth, just like they don’t want to take a bath or clean their rooms. If this is something that you struggle with on a daily basis, then you are going to love today’s post on five ways to make brushing teeth fun for kids and help them develop good oral hygiene!
5 Ways To Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids
1. Bring Along a “Special Friend”
As a way to provide some extra encouragment for young children, allow your child to bring along their favorite stuffed animal or doll when it’s time to brush. For a very young child, hand him an extra toothbrush and let him brush his stuffed animal or doll’s teeth while you brush his. For a child who is a bit older, encourage her to teach her animal or doll how to brush their teeth by modeling it for them.
2. Make a Game of It
Kids love playing games so why not make a game out of brushing their teeth? A simple “I bet I can brush my teeth better than you” might be all it takes to get your kid raring to go! Or you can challenge them to see who can make the most bubbles while brushing – more bubbles means they are brushing well. Another game is to set a timer and see if they can continue for the entire time. Remember, the minimum amount of time your children should brush is 2 minutes, one full minute on each row of teeth.
3. Sing a Silly Song
Instead of using a timer for brushing, you could have your child pick out a favorite song and have them brush until it’s over. Can’t think of any fun and silly songs? No problem! There are lots of cute tooth brushing songs out there; the American Dental Association’s Mouth Healthy website has several, and below are the lyrics to one of the one’s I used with my stepson and my preschooler classes during Oral Health Week! And remember, the sillier the song, the better!
Brush , Brush, Brush Your Teeth
Sung to: “Row, Row Row your Boat”
Brush, brush, brush your teeth.
At least two times a day.
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning,
Fighting tooth decay.
Floss, floss,floss your teeth.
Every single day.
Gently, gently, gently,gently,
Whisking Plaque away.
Rinse, rinse, rinse your teeth
Every single day.
Swishing, swishing, swishing, swishing,
Fighting tooth decay.
4. Download a fun app.
Yes, there really are apps for everything – including encouraging kids to brush their teeth! For example, “Brush DJ” plays two minutes of music (the recommended time for brushing) while the brusher races against the clock to get a clean mouth before time is up. With the “Toothsavers” app, not only do kids get to play games to see how brushing removes food and kills bacteria, they can also brush along with a two-minute video that shows them how to brush each area of their mouth and teeth.
5. Get Fun Oral Care Products
Get your child a cool toothbrush and other oral care products that he or she is excited to try. Kids love things that feature their favorite movie, cartoon and game characters, and Firefly – a leader in children’s oral care solutions – has several products featuring some of the most popular children’s characters of all time. In fact, Firefly’s ADA-Approved products are designed to turn brushing into playtime, and offer Good. Clean. Fun. at affordable prices. Some of their most recent additions include…
Firefly Kylo Ren Lightsaber Toothbrush
If your child likes Star Wars then they are going to love the Firefly Hylo Ren Lightsaber Toothbrush! As part of the Firefly Star Wars collection, this battery-operated toothbrush makes brushing teeth an adventure! Not only does the 1 minute light-up timer turn off automatically to signal children to stop brushing the top row of teeth and begin brushing the bottom, it also features some pretty awesome character voices, flashing lights, memorable movie quotes, nd – of course – lightsaber sounds effects! What Star Wars fan could resist that?! And parents, you’ll also love that it comes equipped with a handy protective cap to protect the brush head and bristles from from any bacteria on the sink or countertop. I don’t know about you, but when we travel I make sure our toothbrushes do not lay on the countertop or sink; so this protective cap is perfect!
My stepson loves it – it not only helps get his teeth clean but it sparks his imagination as well! And if your child is not a Star Wars fan, no problem! Firefly offers a large assortment of popular children’s characters from which to choose! You can find these products at Walmart and Walgreens.
Firefly Spiderman Anticavity Fluoride Rinse
Another important part of the children’s oral care routine is using a mouthwash. The Firefly Spiderman Anticavity Flouride Rinse helps prevent and reduce tooth decay, and is both sugar-and-alcohol-free. My stepson likes the fact that he is using “Spiderman Mouthwash” and says that the melon flavor is “pretty amazing”. LOL! I like the unique design of the bottle with its easy-to-use pump and the included no-mess measuring cup that enables kids to get the perfect amount every time.
Good Oral Care in Older Kids and Adults
Good oral care is also important for older kids and adults, and my husband and I like to use REACH products as part of our oral care routine. Two of our favorites include…
The REACH UltraClean Toothbrush
The Reach Ultraclean Toothbrush has a unique design where it is angled like a dental instrument. This makes it easy to reach both the front teeth and the way backs too. Its bi-level bristles help clean and remove plaque from all tooth surfaces, and their floss-like design easily cleans between teeth and around the gum line. I love the tongue cleaner on the back of the head, it gives my mouth an extra clean feeling! You can find the REACH UltraClean at both Walmart and Target in single count or a handy 4-count value pack.
The REACH Advanced Design Toothbrush
Another great toothbrush, the REACH Advanced Design was specially designed to clean every tooth evenly with its angled neck and head. This design allows it to reach back behind your teeth further than straight brushes can. It also has the bi-level bristles to help remove plaque more effectively. You can find this toothbrush at Walmart and Walgreens in a special value 2-pack.
How Often Do You Change Your Toothbrush?
Did you know that you are supposed to replace it every 3 months? It also needs to be changed every time you get over a cold! My husband and I always keep extra toothbrushes for just that reason, and REACH products offer more benefits at a lower price than other brands.
Where to Find Firefly and REACH Products
- The Firefly Spiderman Anticavity Flouride Rinse for kids can be found at Walmart.
- The Firefly Kylo Ren Lightsaber Toothbrush can be found at Walmart and Walgreens
- The REACH UltraClean toothbrush is available at both Walmart and Target and comes in a single count or a 4-count value pack.
- The REACH Advanced Design Toothbrush is available at both Walmart and Walgreens and comes in a value pack of two toothbrushes.
Image via Firefly
Lights, Camera, Smile! Firefly Sweepstakes
Here’s something else to smile about: Firefly recently launched their Lights, Camera, Smiles! Sweepstakes on the Firefly Facebook page. Head on over and enter because you could win awesome Firefly character products, AND one lucky grand prize winner will win a trip for a family of four to the movie capital of the world: Hollywood!
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What are some of the ways you encourage your children to take care of their teeth?