Tips for Teaching Children to Care for their Teeth

You've heard the old adage "teach them while they are young".  Nothing is more true than this statement when it comes to oral hygiene.  Habits are taught  from a young age, and learning the correct and good habits yield positive results to last a lifetime!

We want your children to love taking care of their teeth.  When brushing and flossing are made part of their daily routine it will become second nature by the time they are adults.  A bad habit, once acquired, is very difficult to break!

There is a great article found on NannyPro.com, entitled 10 Tips for Teaching Kids to Care for their Teeth.  We think these tips are great and if implemented early, your dental costs will be greatly reduced overtime.  Think of it as an investment in your savings future.  We all know raising children is an expensive venture!

Here are the 10 Tips:

Lead by example – Kids love to emulate their parents, so leading by example is a must. Let your children watch you brush and floss and explain to them what you’re doing and why. They’ll love to feel like they’re able to something just like the grown-ups do.

Start early – Children won’t be able to brush their teeth by themselves until the ages of 3 or 4, so you’ll have to do it for them until then. This will give them time to get used to the idea that this is a part of a normal daily routine and they’ll look forward to when they can do it on their own.

Make it fun – Try to make brushing and flossing a fun activity and something to look forward to instead of just a chore. You can invent little games to play and be excited about it when they do a good job.

Rewards – Be sure to reward kids when they achieve goals like brushing by themselves for the first time or not having to be reminded. Give them an extra bedtime story or let them stay up another 15 minutes to prove how grown-up they are.

Plaque monsters – You can invent stories to help explain what happens if they don’t take care of their teeth. Tell them that after they eat food invisible plaque monsters are hiding in their teeth and they need to be brushed and flossed away.

Read Full Article Here:  Tips for Teaching Children to Care for their Teeth