In our general dentist office, our goal is to keep you and your family in excellent oral health. We do this by cleaning your teeth twice a year and treating any oral health issues we may find. While we can prevent the spread of infections and keep your teeth stronger, you must still practice good oral hygiene at home. Everyone, adults and kids alike, needs to be reminded to brush properly and for a full two minutes. Kids have a much harder time with oral hygiene. This isn't because they are incapable but because they are uninterested. We get it – kids have fun things to do like building a fort or playing princesses. This can make brushing teeth the last thing on their mind, and we aim to change that, with your help.
If you have young kids or teens that aren't brushing properly, we suggest that you use media to help change that. This is an electronics generation, and they are used to getting both information and entertainment this way. Watching a video, therefore, is an easy way to teach them how to brush. Simply play a tutorial twice a year to remind them how to brush the right way. Even if they think they know how, a reminder can't hurt.
Simultaneously, there is the issue of brushing long enough. If your kids aren't brushing for the full two minutes, they are probably leaving plaque and bacteria on their teeth, increasing their risk of getting cavities. As a general dentist, we know that most kids love to watch cartoons, and the American Dental Association is using cartoons to get kids excited about oral health. If you visit their website, you can see an entire section of videos that feature popular shows like Adventure Time. There is something for all ages, and they are exactly two minutes long. All you need to do is grab your tablet or smartphone and play the video while your kids brush their teeth. They will be watching and brushing at the same time, and once the video is over, they can stop brushing their teeth. It is that simple and so much easier than using a timer or a stopwatch. Even if you have kids that don't like bedtime or teeth brushing, this simple tip can turn teeth brushing time into a positive experience.
For your older kids find out what their favorite song is or play Top 40 hits and your teen can brush their teeth while rocking out to their favorite song. Everyone loves music, and this can put them in a good mood, or wake them up in the morning.
These tips are simple, yes, but they also work. Our goal as a general dentist is for your kids to learn healthy habits and create positive associations with dental care now while they are young. This way they can have healthy teeth and gums as they age.
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