GONE ARE THE DAYS where a shiny coin was sufficient payment for a lost tooth… and the payout keeps changing. According to an article in the Huffington Post, the Tooth Fairy offered kids 15% more money per tooth in 2012 than in 2011. Some kids made 5 dollars or more.
We (parents), in cahoots with the Tooth Fairy, offer a fun, lucrative reward for when our kids lose teeth, but what are we doing to encourage our children to take care of the teeth they still have?
Fun Ways To Help Kids Establish Good Dental Hygiene
- Establish a routine. Try brushing and flossing everyday around the same time. It might be easier for your child to get used to brushing if it’s event oriented—for example, after dinner or right before putting on pajamas.
- Add brushing and flossing to play time. If your child cleaned t-rex’s or dolly’s teeth earlier in the day, brushing his or her own teeth might seem more exciting.
- Using a brushing chart may help. Kids like gold stars, check marks, and knowing they’ve accomplished something. Brushing charts can help your kids take responsibility in the activity and can be fun. Search Pinterest for some great chart ideas!
- You can make use of songs, videos, and games that help kids brush correctly and for a sufficient period of time. Many can be found with a simple internet search. Aquafresh.com has songs, videos, and games. Chomper Chums is a fun, educational mobile app.
Whatever you do, stress the importance of good dental hygiene to your child. Make it fun and make it matter. What methods have you used that worked well? Share them with us in the comments below or on our Facebook page.