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Did you know that one in three children don’t brush their teeth often enough? A survey done to find out why many children bear damaged teeth revealed as much. Did you know that you should brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day? What oral hygiene advice are you giving to your children?

Many parents fail to pay attention to their kid’s oral hygiene because they are too busy. Kids who don’t brush their teeth properly are at risk of long-term complications that could hurt their parents’ pockets. Let us take a closer look. 

What Happens to Kids Who Don’t Brush Their Teeth?

40% of children suffer from preventable tooth decay. This is because of not brushing their teeth properly or not brushing at all. It leads to many other problems, which include pain.

Poor dental hygiene may lead to difficulty when chewing, thus poor food digestion. Concentration in school also becomes a challenge. Dental problems can cause damage to the permanent teeth too. Some kids develop speaking and pronunciation difficulties.

Let us delve a little deeper.

Effects of Poor Oral Hygiene

Failure to get teeth cleaned for a day or two may not have severe effects. The problems likely to be encountered include bad breath, tartar, and plaque buildup.

Food particles find their way in between teeth and on the surface of the teeth. These particles are broken down by the bacteria found in the mouth. The bacteria use the particles as their food leading to the formation of acids.

These acids damage the outer covering of the teeth called enamel. The corrosion leads to the formation of holes in the teeth called cavities. It is usually painful when anything gets inside the holes.

Tips to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

Most kids do not seem to enjoy brushing their teeth. It is, however, not so shocking because some adults dislike it as well.

So how do you get your little ones to do it? Below are some of the tips you can use.

1. Brush Your Teeth at the Same Time

It is a perfect opportunity to lead by example. Let your child watch you brush your teeth as you convince them to do the same. They are more likely to agree to it this way as opposed to when you ask them to do it like a daily chore.

2. Make It Fun

Find exciting ways of making these two minutes as enjoyable as possible. You can consider finding a song and make it your tooth brushing song. Learn it and sing along while at it.

Taking turns also sounds like a great idea. Compete brushing each others’ teeth once in a while and use the other days to practice for the challenge by brushing your teeth. Every kid likes to win.

Make a big deal out of shopping for toothbrushes. Let your child pick their brush. Find a range of exciting toothbrushes and let them choose from those. They will look forward to using a toothbrush of their favorite cartoon character. Brushing should not be a problem from now on.

3. Let Them Know the Benefits

Tell them stories of what happens to kids who don’t brush their teeth. Refer to those characters every time you struggle into getting them to cleaning their teeth.  It’s a long shot, but it should do the trick.

You can also talk to them about germs. Yes, kids find germs fascinating so, giving them details about bacteria found on their teeth before brushing will interest them. Your goal is to have kids with proper oral hygiene. Any trick is a good trick.

4. Make It Part of Your Morning and Evening Routine

Include brushing part of your routine to ensure you don’t leave it out. Consistency will make your aim of making it a habit more attainable. Here is the proper procedure to go about brushing.

1. Brush the front surface first. The front and the two opposite sides using up and down circular motions.
2. Proceed to the chewing surface. Brush using straight back and forth motions.
3. Brush the back of the teeth using up and down motions.
4. Floss their teeth when necessary.

Appreciate the child after brushing. Make this a habit.

Self Esteem

Children who do not brush their teeth tend to have self-esteem issues because of the appearance of their teeth. Decayed teeth are not the prettiest, and you can ensure your child appreciates their smile by keeping their teeth well cleaned.

Kids who brush their teeth are more likely to concentrate in class, thus being able to grasp things faster. They are less distracted, and their learning capabilities are increased.

Reduced Risk of a Sore Throat

Characteristics of a sore throat from poor oral hygiene include swelling of the tongue, pain, and difficulty in swallowing. Others are blisters containing fluids, fever, and sweating. These symptoms cause a lot of discomfort to children. Do not take chances with your children.

Savings on Dental Treatments

Proper oral hygiene reduces the trips made to the dentist for treatment. Although regular dental checkup is necessary, you will save a lot of money. It is because treating illnesses as a result of poor dental hygiene can cost you a lot of money.

Approximately 19% of children have untreated dental caries. Poor oral hygiene is a significant contributor. Kids who don’t brush their teeth are, therefore, at the highest risk of suffering from dental caries. These children tend to have difficulty eating and sleeping.

Love Your Kids the Healthy Way

In light of these findings, parents have a big role to play to ensure they don’t raise kids who don’t brush their teeth.

Since you always want the best for your children, teaching your children how to brush their teeth properly is an excellent way of expressing it. Some kids have an aversion to the texture of toothpaste. So ease them into it by just using water. Thereafter, you can then get into using a pea size of toothpaste to ease the discomfort.

Schedule a cleaning and checkup for your children today.