• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast

How to get kids excited about dental hygiene

March 3, 2022 by Contributing Authors

Dental hygiene is important as far as general health goes, so it’s important to get your kids excited about it early. This will help set a great foundation for their future oral health, something they will thank you for in the long term. Here are some ways that we make dental care fun in our home.

Take Them to a Family Friendly Dentist

To make sure that your kids don’t create a negative association with dentists, find one who knows how to communicate well with children. It’s recommended to take your kids to their first dental visit just after they celebrate their first birthday. Since they’ll still be very young and impressionable, make sure they have a great experience from the very first visit.

Let Them Pick Their Toothpaste and Toothbrush

You should also make the activity more fun for them by letting them pick the toothbrush they want and toothpaste they’ll enjoy. With different flavors of toothpaste available, they can choose one that’s a fun flavor rather than the regular mint flavor. When they know that they’re responsible for their own dental hygiene, they’re likely to be more invested in playing an active role in their dental care.

Make Oral Care a Family Thing

Another tip is to set a good example for your kids by taking good care of your own dental hygiene. A dental checkup is recommended once every six months to help prevent dental problems including cavities. You should never skip any of your appointments. Take your kids with you as well so they get familiar with the environment and know what to expect even if they’re not in the chair. If possible, schedule your checkups to be done as a family. You can also set a time to brush and floss as a family at home so that everyone in the family knows when it’s time for oral care and they don’t put up a fight.

Make it Fun and Entertaining

For young kids, it’s also important to make dental hygiene a fun routine that they look forward to. Look for fun songs to sing while brushing their teeth that will make it fun and help them time their oral routine. When it’s more of a game to them, they’re likely to enjoy it and take part in it willingly. There are endless songs, stories, and cartoons that can be used to make the activity fun and immersive for them. Simply search online for them and you will find more than a few.

Get Oral Issues Addressed Fast

Finally, make oral issues as painless and short-lived as possible by having them looked at as soon as they occur. Call your dentist and schedule an appointment with them and let them know the issue at hand so they can help you diagnose and fix it. Never ignore complaints of oral distress from your child because this may be the main way in which you will be able to identify issues fast. With the CDC saying that over 42% of children aged between two and 11 years will have a cavity, it’s important to ensure that if yours is one of them, they have their issues addressed.

Using the tips above, you can get your kids excited about their dental hygiene. This creates good habits for the future! Their dental hygiene will be one less thing to worry about as your kids grow up.

Filed Under: Kids

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
SIGN-UP TODAY to receive the only baby newsletter written by dads, for dads. Act now and receive a free copy of the popular GreatDad E-Book!
My baby's due date or birthday :
Profile picture
Privacy Policy and Terms
Baby Name Finder!

what's in a name

  • Show names for:
  • Boys
  • Girls
  • Either
Finding a name you can both agree on isn't always easy. Use our simple name generator to get started.
First Letter
Last Letter
Number of Letters
Origin
Find a name!

More to See

family under a cardboard

Over 40? The Five Types of Insurance You Should Have

October 22, 2022 By Contributing Authors

A Dad’s Guide to Bonding with Your Kids Through Computer Games

May 5, 2022 By Contributing Authors

Tags

529 Plan budgeting for teens college savings compromise dad dads Father's Day fatherhood friendship in-laws love marriage Movie Review parenting advice parenting skills prepaid cards ritual Sundays travel vacation

Footer

Hi mom!

Would you like to share this site with your husband or a friend?

Just enter his email address and your name below and we'll let him know all about GreatDad.com.

His email address
Your Name

Recent

  • Special Clarity session – $25
  • Over 40? The Five Types of Insurance You Should Have
  • A Dad’s Guide to Bonding with Your Kids Through Computer Games
  • 5 Ways to Prepare Your Child for a Surgical Procedure
  • How to get kids excited about dental hygiene

Search

Tags

529 Plan budgeting for teens college savings compromise dad dads Father's Day fatherhood friendship in-laws love marriage Movie Review parenting advice parenting skills prepaid cards ritual Sundays travel vacation

Copyright © 2023 . GreatDad