People who have poor oral health habits are affected physically, mentally and emotionally. Because of this, it is SO important to me that my children learn how to care for their teeth properly at a young age so that they can benefit from good oral health in their future.

We started very early on caring for our children’s teeth. I wiped my kid’s gums with a wet cloth from the time that they were only months old. My daughter was easy to get into a good oral health routine. With my son, this has been much more challenging due to some uncontrollable issues that I won’t get into here. We have had a struggle cleaning my son’s teeth and gums from a very early age and continue to struggle, but I will not give up because I recognize just how important good oral health is for one’s overall health.

I have always believed that as a parent, I need to be a good role model for my children. I can’t expect them to understand the importance of taking care of their bodies if I don’t demonstrate this for them. This is why I never skip brushing or flossing my teeth. Children look up to us. They watch our every move. If they see us care for our teeth, they will understand just how important good oral health is for their own bodies.

Your dentist can help detect, diagnose, and treat or even prevent problems that you might not know about. This is why it is so important to visit your dentist regularly.

We have learned some tips for helping our children cooperate with us in order to ensure that their mouths are properly cared for each and every day. I’m not saying that every day is sunshine and roses, but when we use these techniques, it definitely makes the struggle that we have easier. If you have challenges when it comes to tooth brushing time with your children, perhaps one of these tips will help you:

• Play a favourite song while you brush teeth.
• Allow your child to brush their own teeth first, followed up by an adult “touch up”.
• Give your child a fidget toy to play with as a distraction.
• Tape a game of tic-tac-toe to the wall and in between each section of teeth, stop to let you or your child take a turn.
• Use a tooth brushing chart to track how often your child brushes their teeth.

Here is a chart that you may find useful. Print it out and tape it to your bathroom mirror! Some children respond really well to visual charts like this one:

Although this post has been generously sponsored by the Ontario Dental Association, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect the Ontario Dental Association.