Teaching children to brush their teeth can be an exercise in maintaining patience. Many children completely refuse to brush their teeth, and finding a way to encourage brushing without having nightly battles can be very difficult. Thankfully, your Livonia children’s dentist, Dr. James Stewart, has a trick up his sleeve that may help resolve this difficult situation. It is called a tooth brushing chart, and if you integrate it strategically into your child’s oral health regimen, you may no longer have to remind your little one to pick up a toothbrush.
A tooth brushing chart is a relatively simple tool. It features check boxes for mornings and evenings over the course of several weeks or even months. The idea is that children and parents can monitor the progress of homecare by checking off each box as the task it describes is completed. However, using a tooth brushing chart only to monitor progress is not likely to create much change in a child’s approach to homecare. Instead, you should make sure to use the chart as a kind of challenge. Tell your child that the successful completion of the chart with no missed boxes will result in a prize. Make sure the prize is a good one, and your little one should be very motivated to complete the brushing chart. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the challenge, brushing regularly will have become a habit.
Other Tips for Honing Your Child’s Brushing Technique
In addition to encouraging regular brushing, you should also work to improve your child’s brushing techniques. Doing this requires you to oversee your little one as he or she brushes. To do so, you need to take up a position that the proper position that allows you good visibility. One of the best ways to do this is to brush at the same time as your child and stand behind him or her facing the bathroom mirror. Your presence will encourage your child’s best effort, and it will also allow you to set a good example when it comes to taking care of your teeth.
About James Stewart, DDS: James Stewart, DDS is an experienced and respected dentist serving patients from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, and Garden City. Patients can contact Dr. Stewart by calling (734) 425-4400 to schedule an appointment or a consultation.