Getting Kids to Brush Teeth is Easy with This Secret Weapon

Getting Kids to Brush Their Teeth

Imagine your child actually excited about brushing their teeth.

by Christine Brady

You are about to discover a secret weapon that actually encourages your kids to brush teeth. It’s not a bribe or threat. It’s a toothbrush – but not just any ordinary toothbrush – an electric toothbrush.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics electric toothbrushes are a great solution to ensuring your kids are practicing good oral health.

Here’s part of the reason why they work so well…

As part of their ‘growing up’ process, kids are resistant to adults telling them what to do and when. When a child is allowed to pick out their own toothbrush, they are more inclined to be excited about it. Coupled with the idea of having an electric toothbrush and they are on the road to excellent oral hygiene. Often a special, fun toothbrush can make all the difference in the world.

Still not sure how a special toothbrush can help with brushing woes? Here are some helpful things to know about electric toothbrushes.

Helps them with their brushing

Electric toothbrushes have been shown to help children remove up to 41% more plaque from their teeth than cleaning with a regular toothbrush alone (Vanderbilt University Psychology Department). Researchers have stated that a 5 year old only reaches about 25% of their tooth area and an 11 year old still only reaches about 50% of their tooth area. Electric toothbrushes step in to give kids the movement and coordination to easily move the brush around and clean all of their teeth.

Prepares them for dental visits

Children get intimidated by things they don’t understand and can react by crying, hitting or throwing tantrums. This makes it very difficult for a dentist to properly exam their mouths, let alone care for any decay. Electric toothbrushes actually prepare them for dental visits by simulating the sounds they may hear, so if they ever do need dental work, it’s a familiar sound to them.

Electric toothbrushes make brushing fun

Have you a Spongebob Squarepants  electric toothbrush? Or how about a princess one? There’s even some that play music. The truth is, kids see brushing their teeth as something that takes away from their playtime. As much as parents can talk and even threaten, nothing works as well as putting a positive spin on a boring chore. A fun toothbrush with their favorite character or favorite tune means they might actually look forward to brushing their teeth.

Dr. Marchbanks has been a premier general dentist in Arlington Texas since 1983. His approach to children’s dentistry focuses on making children comfortable and helping them understand the process. If there is a tool that can make brushing their teeth more enjoyable, then we highly recommend it. If getting your kids to brush their teeth has been a struggle, try an electric toothbrush and show them how much fun it can be.

Christine BradyChristine Brady is a freelance writer from Texas. She writes about health and wellness topics and can write for hours about anything cooking or food related. Find her on Twitter at @christinejbrady

 

 

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