Teaching Them to Brush
You’ve made the effort to get your kids used to brushing regularly and properly, and now they want to do it for themselves. As soon as you feel the time is right, let them try brushing on their own. Just remember you’ll still have to supervise and make sure their teeth are brushed properly and toothpaste isn’t swallowed.
Here are few of the basics to share with your children.
This way, they’ll be doing the right thing from the beginning.
Always start at one end of the top row of teeth.
You can make a game of this: Once they know to start at the top, put the toothbrush at the front of the bottom row of teeth and teasingly ask “Should I start here?” Play is often the best way to learn.
Getting them to clean in small circular motions is a lot tougher than it sounds.
Practicing a little before putting the brush in the mouth can really help. When you’re brushing their teeth, tell them where you’re moving the toothbrush to and keep telling them about the little circles you’re making on their teeth. Let them try, too and be sure to congratulate them on a job well done.
Don't forget to tell them to brush right to the gum line.
Healthy gums are just as important as healthy teeth!
Make sure they understand that the inside surfaces of the teeth are just as important.
Plaque and tartar collect there as well as on the biting surfaces.
The front, back and biting surfaces of the teeth should be thoroughly brushed.
Then just repeat the process with the bottom set of teeth.
One of the best things about being little is that you learn tons of new things every day. Although your children may want to brush by themselves, it's incredibly difficult for them to really do a good job. It's important that you always supervise and finish off any areas they haven't done correctly, as well as make sure that they're spitting out their toothpaste.
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