5 Teeth Brushing Tips for Kids #ToothTunes1D

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5 Teeth Brushing Tips for Kids

Don’t want your child’s teeth to look like W’s teeth? (Okay, okay those are fake, I’ll admit it.) But are you dealing with the same battle I am these days? The teeth brushing battle? It’s like a three-ring circus around here some days when it comes to getting W’s teeth brushed.

But I’ve been doing some research into ways to entice him to brush his teeth. Apparently there is hope and I found 5 great tips that I need to keep in mind as I work on developing good habits with him.

1. Start Early

One thing I wish I had done more often was wipe W’s gums and teeth with a soft cloth. I read the advice but wasn’t as diligent as I could have been. I think it would have been an easier transition to teeth brushing if he was more familiar with the general habit. When I have another child I will try to be better about that early on.

2. Model Good Habits

Have you ever done something only to see your toddler or preschooler doing the same thing a few minutes later? That is the power of modeling. If your child sees you brushing and flossing regularly, they are more likely to do the same. So, I guess that means I better get flossing!

3. Use a Timer

Can they beat the clock? So many children love a challenge but getting them to brush for 2 minutes (1 minute on the top and 1 minute on the bottom) is a nearly impossible challenge. So set a timer and challenge them to brush until it goes off! You could even offer a prize to the one who lasts the longest (if you have multiple kids). A little healthy competition, right?

4. Wow With the Toothbrush

I am a huge fan of electric toothbrushes because I think it makes brushing easier. J and I both use them. I’ve found that getting W to brush with an electric toothbrush is much easier. It also works well if I offer him a toothbrush that features one of his favorite characters like Snoopy or Elmo.

Recently, I discovered a toothbrush that has got W brushing without a fight! We had the opportunity to try the ARM & HAMMER™ Tooth Tunes™ One Direction toothbrush. While W may not know who One Direction is yet, he does know that he loves music! And if you don’t have a timer, this is a wonderful way to get your kids brushing longer!

ARM & HAMMER™ Tooth Tunes™ featuring One Direction is the only toothbrush that plays One Direction in North America! So if you have a fan in your house, it’s a souvenir that’s also extremely practical! There are two different brushes, one featuring “What Makes You Beautiful” and the other featuring “One Thing.” And each toothbrush features 2 minutes of music to encourage your kids to brush longer!

ARM & HAMMER™ Tooth Tunes™ features Music in Your Mouth™ technology which streams sound vibrations from the brush bristles through the teeth so the music can be heard while brushing. It was a huge surprise to W. He could faintly hear the music when we turned the brush on. But once he started brushing, it was like he had discovered a secret!

Honestly, it was hard to get the toothbrush away from him when time was up. Now that is a change of pace that I cannot complain about!

You can learn even more on the ARM & HAMMER™ Facebook page!

5. Reward Them

If competition and music isn’t enough, think about using a reward system or a reward chart. Add brushing teeth to the chart! The responsibility chart we have actually has a magnet for teeth brushing so we are ready to go! One key to success when using rewards based on my years of teaching is that it’s better to let the child choose what the reward will be if they complete their task. They have more buy-in that way!

How do you handle teeth brushing in your house?

Disclosure: I am part of Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and ARM & HAMMER™ Tooth Tunes™ partnered in support of this campaign. ARM & HAMMER™ Tooth Tunes™ compensated me for participation in this campaign. However all experiences and opinions are 100% my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

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