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Brushing your kid’s teeth can either be a fun activity or a chore. It takes a while before toddlers enjoy brushing.

Kids usually feel cranky when it’s brush time. Sometimes it’s the sensation caused by the toothbrush that makes them irritated. It can also be the toothpaste which can be too minty. There are many creative ways to make tooth brushing fun for your little one. You need to start this habit early in order to protect your child’s teeth from cavities and tooth decay especially if they are fond of eating sweets like ice cream cakes and smoothies. Here are some ways to make brushing an exciting activity for your kid.

Make tooth brushing a bonding time. Kids learn most by example. When you show them that you also brush your teeth regularly that gives them something to imitate. Brushing together will remove the fear in your child because he or she sees that mommy or daddy doesn’t get hurt when they brush their teeth. Show that you enjoy brushing your teeth. Make funny faces, gargle loudly, and take your time. You can do some strokes on your child’s teeth then do the same on yours. Brushing together is a great bonding time for you and your kid because you’re experiencing and learning something together.

Sing while brushing. My son and I sing a brushing song when I brush his teeth. I just picked it up from a toothpaste commercial and made some changes to the song. You can create your own original song with the name of your child in it! You can also adapt some of the nursery rhymes and make it a tooth brushing song. Music has its way of soothing the moods of toddlers. Singing while brushing your child’s teeth is a good distraction because it removes his focus from the act itself.

Choose flavored toothpaste. Kids do not like minty toothpaste. There’s a lot of sweet and fruity toothpaste in the market that are good for your child’s teeth. For toddlers, there are non-flouride or low-flouride toothpastes. It takes a while before they’ll learn to spit so make sure that you choose a toothpaste that can be swallowed. Explore different flavors so that your child is exposed to a variety of tastes. Kids usually love orange and strawberry flavors.

Let your child pick his own toothbrush. There are different kinds of tooth brush depending on the age of your kid. Almost all toothbrushes for kids come in bright colors. Some even have cartoon characters on them! Bring your toddler to the supermarket and let him choose the toothbrush he wants. That sense of ownership will encourage him even more to use his own tooth brush. You can also match the color of your toothbrush with your kid so he can see the similarity in your brushes when you use them together.

Create a brushing chart. Show your kid his tooth brushing accomplishments by creating a brushing chart! You can paste it in the bathroom where he can place a star on the day he brushed his teeth. From there he’ll be motivated to fill all those blank spaces with stars! You can also reward him once a month then later on once every quarter until brushing becomes a habit and then you can do away with rewards.

Tooth brushing is one of the habits that kids need to learn for themselves. It can be exciting and fun for you and your toddler! All you need is some creativity to make this activity enticing for your little one. It takes time and a lot of patience but once your kid enjoys this habit, it’s a rewarding feeling.

Author bio:

Jessica is a freelance writer, she’s an aerobic Instructor and a frequent runner. She loves ice creams and cereals. She’s also into almost all types of music genre and knows how to play the guitar. Follow her adventures on her Twitter.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want kids to enjoy tooth brushing.

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