Trying to teach your kids to brush their teeth well can be challenging. The last thing that most kids want to do is spend 2 to 3 minutes standing in front of the sink, and many will try to rush through it. You may consider taking your child to family dentist Herndon at a young age to prevent any dentistry fears later down the line.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck and not sure what you should do, there are several effective ways that you can try out to teach your kids how to brush their teeth:

• Lead by example

One of the best ways to teach young kids good dental habits is to lead by example. As a role model, your kids will be more likely to be willing to brush their teeth if they see you doing the same.

Not brushing the teeth on a regular basis is one of the bad habits for kids teeth. Try to get into the habit of brushing your teeth in front of your kids from the time they are very young. Later when they are old enough to learn, make it a point to brush your teeth while you teach them too.

• Let kids choose their own gear

If you let your kids choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste, it will make brushing more fun for them. Nowadays there is a wide range of options available, and your kids will probably be able to find a brush or paste that features a character or design that they like. If your kids are of 3 years and up, then you can introduce them to an electric toothbrush. They might find it interesting and choose it as their gear. In order to select the best one for your kids, you can compare various products available in the market. For instance, you can check out this Sonicare toothbrush comparison guide to have a fair idea of what to look for in an electric toothbrush.

• Use a song to time the brushing

Teaching kids that they should spend 2 to 3 minutes brushing isn’t easy, and setting a timer can be a bit dry. Instead of that you should find a song they enjoy that is roughly 2 to 3 minutes long, and turn it into their ‘brushing song’.

• Reward them for brushing well

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool to instill good dental habits – and you should make it a point to reward your kids when they brush well. It doesn’t have to be a big reward, and something like letting them choose a bedtime story or stay up 10 minutes later can be all the incentive they require.

• Turn brushing into a game

Instead of letting brushing become a chore, you should try to turn it into a game. For example, you could count brush strokes to see who can brush the fastest, see who can make the most foam while they brush, or anything else for that matter.

Stay away from games that involve ‘racing’ to finish brushing first, however – as that will encourage your kids to rush through it.

If you need more advice you can ask your Harley Street dentist for tips. Most dentists have a great deal of experience encouraging kids to brush their teeth properly and will know what to do.

At the very least you should now have several ways that you can start to teach your kids to brush their teeth properly. It will definitely require patience on your part, but at the end of the day encouraging good dental hygiene from a young age is definitely going to be worth it in the long run.