It is dental hygiene month and while dental hygiene is so important, I cannot tell you how much parents struggle during the toothbrushing routine. There are numerous reasons why kids might struggle with this routine- sensory aversions, difficulty with fine motor skills, oral motor challenges, transitioning to a non-preferred demand, following a routine, escape behaviors, difficulty sitting still, or an early desire to be independent. An occupational therapist can break down the cause of your battle, but this resource will give you some concrete ways of making toothbrush time easier.
Tips for getting your kid to brush their teeth…
- Sing their favorite song while brushing. Change the words of the song to keep them giggling and focused. This strategy also gives them an expectation of when tooth brushing will be done.
- Have 2 toothbrushes available. They get to choose which toothbrush they want each time they brush their teeth.
- Make it silly. Make silly faces while you help them brush their teeth so they are focused on your amusement!
- Give it a purpose- While brushing, list all the food they ate that you are cleaning off their teeth. This will remind them of the purpose of brushing and also keep them listening.
- Take turns- You get a turn to brush their teeth, then they get a turn to brush. This will teach independence.
- Routine is key- Keep the routine consistent. Always sandwich toothbrushing between the same two tasks.
- Reinforcement- Save the more preferred part of their routine (ie- book or cuddle time) after toothbrushing, reminding them that the preferred will come after they brush their teeth.
- Pick your place- Let them choose the location they brush- shower, bathtub, different room/ sink.
- Set a timer- Kids benefit from visuals to see the expectations. A timer helps them to see how long they need to brush without you constantly needing to remind them.
- Let them choose the toothbrush flavor. Go shopping together and let them choose the flavor that sounds the best