There’s nothing more pure and precious than a child’s smile. And it is in our hands to help them preserve it.
For many parents, teaching kids good dental hygiene is a daily battle. But it’s a fight worth having. Though it’s largely preventable, tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease among children aged 6-19.
Tooth decay can be prevented by many things. But brushing properly twice daily for 2 mins each time holds the best results. Getting your kids to brush can be made easy with these simple tips and tricks
1. START EARLY
Clean your babies’ gums after every feeding. Start brushing as soon as the first tooth erupts. This will help in getting your kid used to the sensation of brushing at a young age. At this age, babies are not accustomed to spit so brush using a finger brush without toothpaste.
2. TOOTHBRUSH SELECTION
Is your kid a fan of Disney Princess or Avenger characters or Chota Bheem? If yes, use it to your advantage. Get him/her along with you for toothbrush shopping. Nowadays many options are available in kids’ toothbrushes and toothpastes. If they themselves have selected the toothbrush, they will be more excited to brush.
3. ROLE MODELING
Kids often look up to parents or elder siblings for inspiration, and strive to be like them. Make brushing a family affair. Include your elder ones and yourself to motivate the younger one to brush.
4. MAKE IT FUN
Kids love anything new and they easily get bored of the same things.
Use your kid’s favorite songs as a timer of 2 mins for brushing. Make a playlist of these songs so that they don’t get bored of the same song. You can also make it into a game like ‘Sweeping away Germs’ , ‘Beat the timer’ and so on. Keep the activity of brushing interesting by making up stories of how their favorite cartoon or story character brushes teeth to get strong.
5. COMPLIMENT
‘Good Job!’ Two words everyone loves to hear. Irrespective of age, we all love when someone compliments us. So compliment your kid when he/she brushes properly. It will motivate them to continue brushing and have good dental habits for lifetime.
On this Children’s Day, let us vow together to preserve these beautiful and innocent smiles of children.