When do you think is the correct age for a child to start brushing? A mother looks after a child’s every need, be it singing him a lullaby or ensuring he gets his food when he feels hungry. Amongst the various daily chores of a mother, keeping her child’s teeth strong and healthy is one. It is needless to say that the first step to maintaining good oral hygiene is to brush his teeth regularly.
Till the age of two, as a mother, you can just brush the teeth of your toddler with plain water. But beyond the age of 2, mothers, often, have this common question in their mind – “how to get my toddler to brush his teeth?” Well, the answer to this question is that you need to be persistent and patient.
A visit to a dentist for your little one is something that you want to avoid for sure. Apply the following tips that can help you know how to encourage toddler to brush teeth.
Inculcate the habit of brushing the teeth as part of his daily morning routine. You should also incorporate the activity of brushing the teeth as a part of the bedtime routine. Brushing his teeth should be the first thing your son does once he wakes up in the morning. He has to repeat the activity before he goes to bed.
Toddlers like to copy their elders. So, you need to brush your teeth in front of your toddler so that he can emulate you.
It might sound weird, but there might be days when you may have to play tooth brushing all day. Let your little one brush the teeth of a doll, a puppet, or even your teeth for him to get used to the idea of brushing the teeth.
Make sounds like “tee” and “ahh” so that he wide opens his mouth for you to get access to the front and back teeth. You can also encourage him to make a roar like a lion so that he opens his mouth that can help you brush his teeth. These activities can help the mundane ritual of brushing the teeth turn into a fun time.
Give your little one a number of options of toothpaste. There are a number of kid’s toothpastes available in the market that he can choose from. After your toddler settles with a particular brand or taste of toothpaste, use it regularly to make brushing his teeth a fun activity.
You definitely do not want your little darling to undergo the trauma or fear the activity of tooth brushing. So, refrain from using force to brush his teeth. Be patient and try out these tips for brushing toddlers teeth.
Remember, do not expect your toddler to make tooth brushing a regular habit almost instantly. He might take time to get into the habit. Initially, he may hate it. Your cute may also cry his eyes out to prevent you to brush his teeth. But after a few days, he will get used to it.
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Article written by Aayantika Choudhury
Copyrighted Pregnancy & Baby by Mummys Market 2019