Incisor Knowledge! Getting Your Toddler To Brush Their Teeth
No! I don’t want to!! Aaaaaargh!!! Does this sound familiar? Of course; the all too familiar strains of bartering with your child in every aspect of their lives can be incredibly tiring. Following the difficulties of teething, another challenge: brushing the teeth, comes to test your patience. Getting toddlers to brush their teeth can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult task at all! Here are some little tricks to make it easier.
Make the most of Mimicry
Children often like to copy what their parents are doing, so why don’t you use this to your advantage? If both of you stand in front of the mirror and brush together, the process will be much more interesting for your child, and you can set a good example at the same time.
Getting to the Root of the Issue
Do they have an irrational fear relating to their teeth? It isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds, Odontarrupophobia can stem from either a visit to the dentist when they were very young, or they have a problem with the taste or texture of brushing their teeth. If you get to the root of the issue and find that this is the cause, then you can take steps to distract them rather than trying to make it “fun.” Look at dentists like www.carefamilydental.com.au, that offer sleep dentistry services, which is great if your child has a big fear of going to the dentist. Professionals within this industry will have plenty of additional tips to help you make the experience much more pleasurable if they have a fear of brushing their teeth. Electric toothbrushes or ones with softer bristles will also help.
Change the Context
Children will make associations with going to the bathroom before bedtime, and so their worries can begin long before bed time. Instead try associating it with something that is fun and already ingrained into their minds as being something enjoyable. Try and help brush their teeth while they’re playing, or changing the location will take some of the anxiety away.
Get them to brush your teeth
One of the best ways to show that brushing teeth isn’t so bad is to give them your toothbrush and let them do it for you! It may feel weird, but it’s down to you to set the example that brushing is absolutely fine and it doesn’t hurt, or it’s not scary. And, they may not want to brush their teeth as it’s something they have control over, but avoiding oral care is not an option, so finding some way to give them control over will help the balance.
It can take a while to find a routine that works for your child, but keep trying until you find the method that works best. But remember, you need to supervise their brushing up to the age of 6 to make sure they are doing it correctly.
Article from A Baker
