Healthy oral habits start at a young age. To keep your child’s teeth healthy and strong, it is important to encourage them to brush their teeth regularly by developing a positive association with brushing their teeth and their health. By making brushing your teeth a fun activity, your kids will look forward to it daily! Here are 4 simple ways to make tooth brushing fun for kids.

1. Let Your Child Practice Tooth Brushing

Give your child a second toothbrush to play with so they can brush the teeth of their stuffed animals or dolls. You can also help them practice the correct brushing motion by letting them practice on you! This will help them learn how hold to hold and use a toothbrush comfortably. Practicing will not only help them feel confident when they brush their own teeth, but it will also be more fun because it has now been incorporated into their playtime.

2. Play Tooth Brushing Games Together

There are tons of clever tooth brushing games you can come up with to make tooth brushing fun for kids. You can try to name every tooth as you brush them one at a time, play “Simon Says” or “Red Light/Green Light,” or make a fun competition between siblings to see who can get their teeth the cleanest. There are also some fun resources to help you like this great smartphone app that is an interactive tooth brushing game hosted by a funny cartoon robot or this program presented by Oral-B and Disney.

3. Incorporate Music

Another way of making tooth brushing fun for kids by making up a tooth brushing song by simply replacing the words of a classic nursery rhyme by with brushing instructions such as “Mary Had a Little Tooth”, instead of lamb. There are also a couple of fun educational tooth brushing songs. To find one you both like, check out this great list from the American Dental Association (ADA). Also you can consider getting your child a musical toothbrush. Musical toothbrushes play music for the recommended two minutes and then shut off. Theses toothbrushes are a great way to make sure that your kids are brushing for recommended full 2-minutes.

4. Pick Out Fun and Tasty Training Toothpaste

Training toothpastes are designed for the specific dental needs of toddlers. They usually come in themes of your children’s favorite cartoon characters like Elmo, Thomas the Tank Engine, or My Little Pony. They also have more-friendly kid flavors like strawberry, bubblegum, and watermelon. When you go to the store, have your child pick out their favorite toothpaste so they can feel involved in creating their own oral hygiene routine. Don’t forget to ensure any tooth paste your child selects has the ADA seal of approval.

These four tips will help you make tooth brushing fun for your kids. In addition to introducing your children into a fun oral hygiene routine, it is important that you take them to the dentist regularly. At Tigard Family Dentist, we know how to make visiting the dentist a fun and educational experience for kids of all ages, while also providing high-quality dental care and services you can trust.