HOW DO I GET MY KIDS TO BRUSH?

When my son Roger was born, I was ready to put into practice all the home techniques I’d learned as a student of dentistry.  It turned out that things don’t always go as the textbooks tell us! 

We would “brush” his gums with a washcloth to get him used to the motion with the goal of easier brushing later.   And when he finally got teeth, we brushed first without and then with kid’s toothpaste.   It was a real struggle for a while.  There was thrashing and wiggling, stalling and crying, and a lot of general unhappiness when the time came to brush his teeth.  But eventually we developed a system.  I’d sing a toothbrushing song (ours is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, if you know that one) and he’d reluctantly let me brush his teeth.  

Now, with his 5th birthday in 2 weeks, we’ve developed a healthy habit.  He brushes his teeth first and I follow.  I’ve been letting him do more and more of the brushing, and I’m doing less and less.  I remind him of the places that he missed just while I’m sitting on the tub watching him.   

I can’t say that it’s been easy.  And I simply want to remind all you parents that I know its tough.  Sometimes dentists seem like they are talking to you from high on a mountaintop.  Like we know all and you will obey!  I’ve found what it really it comes down to is persistence and a commitment to oral hygiene.  That matters much more than technique.  That matters much more than what brand of toothpaste or manual verses electric toothbrushes. 

Oh and now we are starting again with my 1 year old, Lila!

TOOTHSAVERS APP TO THE RESCUE!

Check out this great free app for getting kids to brush their teeth!

Save the fairy tale kingdom with your toothbrush!

An evil sorceress has cast a wicked spell, leaving everyone’s mouths to rot and be overrun by cavities. Now it's up to you to help Toothy and the Toothsavers save everyone's teeth!

You’ll have two minutes to brush and scrub away the spell for each of the kingdom’s quirky inhabitants. From the Dragon to Little Red Riding Hood to the Pirate, only you can help them clean their teeth.

Save your own teeth by brushing them with each Toothsaver for two minutes, twice a day. They’ll help make brushing fun. And for every few days you brush, you'll unlock a new Toothsaver to brush with. Brush for 30 days and you’ll have the chance to defeat the evil sorceress herself!

And be sure to brush your friends’ and family’s teeth using the two-player Toothsaver mode. Keep your whole family clean with Toothsavers!

You can find more info at http://2min2x.org/toothsavers/.