For the record, I am an “old pro”…not old. I have to say that because my husband is younger than me and I frequently get all types of cougar jokes (even though I am only 4 years older than him.) But after being a mother for the last 21 years with 4 children, I do consider myself an “old pro” when it comes to mothering.
Over the past 21 years, I have tried every technique known to man to get my kids to brush their teeth properly… with properly being the key word. You see, our kids will brush their teeth, but will they do it properly? Will they use toothpaste? Will they brush for more than 120 seconds? Will they wet the brush and stick it back in the holder? Those are very real questions people!
Here are some methods that we have tried over the years.
- Purchasing Character Toothbrushes – yes we’ve had them all from their favorite princesses to Sponge Bob.
- Purchasing Toothbrushes with timers that light up or play music.
- Purchasing kid flavored toothpaste…you know…the fruity stuff.
- Purchasing bubblegum and fruity flavored anti-cavity rinses for them such as the LISTERINE® SMART RINSE®.
- Purchasing spin brushes. We even put spin brushes in their stockings at Christmas time. (Hey don’t judge…they love it…and it takes up a lot of room, it’s good for them and it’s one less small toy that they are going to forget about by New Year’s.)
And for the record, all of those techniques work and contribute to our cavity free dental exams every six months. But there is one tried and true thing that I do to ensure that they are brushing properly. And that secret weapon is…drumroll please:
ME!
Yep, it’s me. I had to change my mindset from: “these kids are old enough and they should be able to brush their teeth on their own correctly,” to “as the parent, I am going to do whatever it takes to ensure that my kids have the best dental health possible.”
And can I keep it real with you for a minute? Shoulda, woulda, coulda attitudes are not going to keep your money in your pocket when you have to pay for fillings, extractions, and special gum treatments. (Ummm…someone should tweet that.)
“As parents, shoulda, woulda, coulda doesn’t cut it. Ensuring your kids are exceptional in the things that they do, will take effort from you.” [Click to Tweet]
The dentist told me point blank one day that sometimes the kids are not strong enough to brush their teeth with enough force. I looked at her like: “Are you serious… this child is old enough to brush her own teeth!” And the dentist was like… “yes I am serious.” And that’s when it clicked.
So, now my husband and I are more consistent with monitoring their efforts in the bathroom each night. And we jump in there and brush for them if we have too (but they hate that so they try to avoid it at all cost.)
The bottom line is that over the years, any time that I have wanted to see change in my kids’ actions, behaviors, grades, etc…., I saw significant improvements when I stepped up and put more energy in as a parent and when I made it a priority.
I want to say thanks to LISTERINE® brand for sponsoring this post and for helping to spread the word about building healthy habits. As I stated above, we use a variety of products and techniques to protect against cavities. Our kids love the LISTERINE® SMART RINSE®. They love the flavors and characters. And, we love that it strengthens teeth 99% better than brushing alone. It’s a win-win for us all!
BMWK – what tricks and techniques do you use to get your kids to brush their teeth properly? When you want your kids to improve in certain areas, what do you do to help/encourage them?
Healthy habits start with good oral care. That’s why my family and I use LISTERINE® as a part of our routine! Share your healthy habits below, and you
could win $1,000! Official Rules
“This post is sponsored by LISTERINE® Brand. Regardless, I only
recommend products or services I use and believe will be good for
my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal
Trade Commissions guidelines concerning the use of endorsements
and testimonials in advertising.”
Great article Ronnie. I can totally relate I have two boys who both have worn braces. I was determined not to have my hard earned money go to waste from poor brushing. I would get in there and floss and brush their back teeth until they got tired of me doing so and started doing it correctly on there own. We are a Listerine family from the Whitening Pre-rinse all the way to Listerine mouth wash after brushing. Oh and shout out to Listerine for the Alcohol Free mouthwash, We Love it. You can swish longer for more effective coverage without the burn.
Thanks LaDawn. We have a tween in braces..and I am spending the most time trying to keep her brushing and flossing …..I had no idea it would be so time consuming.
Great tips! I know people who let their kids do whatever they want and this includes them not brushing their teeth at night. It only changed when the kid lost a tooth early on due to a severe cavity (and it was up front).
So this is great advice and I love the parent attitude of “I’ll do it for you if you’re not doing it right!”
Yes Kirstin….with these kids…you definitely have to be proactive if you want to get your desired results.
This post is on point. My son thinks sucking the toothpaste of his toothbrush is brushing his teeth. I end up doing it for him. It is a catch 22 because I am trying to teach him to be independent but then I keep thinking of how he hates going to the dentist. Thanks for the tips. I need to look into the timer toothbrush.