When it comes to teaching kids great oral care habits, parents are often overwhelmed — especially when they learn that you have to worry about kids' oral care from the time they're born! That's right. Parents should start thinking about implementing great oral care habits from the get-go. And it doesn't have to be a stressful experience!
Here, real moms open up about some of their top tips and tricks for teaching kids healthy oral care habits.
1. Start Brushing Early
"I remember visiting a friend who had to practically chase her screaming toddler around to get him to brush his teeth. Her best advice: get them brushing when they're babies! I followed that advice and started making tooth brushing part of my babies' nightly routines. We'd do bath, jammies, and brush teeth with Orajel Baby Tooth & Gum Cleanser. It made it so much easier for my kids to transition into brushing their own teeth because it was always part of their routine. Did you know that experts recommend to start brushing or massaging your kids' gums as early as 6 months, when their first tooth appears? Don't drag kids kicking and screaming … start brushing early so it's not an issue!"
2. Brush Twice a Day -- and Make It Fun!
"Growing up, I didn't have the best dental hygiene. Now as a mom, I love to find fun ways to encourage our kids to brush their teeth! I want tooth brushing and trips to the dentist to be a positive experience for them. Our goal is to brush twice a day!
We are big fans of Orajel PAW Patrol Anti-cavity Fluoride toothpaste at our house. All four of my kids love the taste and it's PAW Patrol themed, so of course Annabelle is a fan!! To help the kids remember to brush twice a day, we recently set up a SPECIAL POM POM JAR!! Each time they brush their teeth, they get to drop a pom pom into the jar! Once the jar is full, we get to go on a fun family adventure.
Everyone's excited and motivated to brush their teeth! It's a win for me and them!"
3. Always Go For Low-Sugar Snacks
"'Can I have a snaaaaaaack,' is one of the questions I hear most during the day. What about you?
I always keep a big bowl of fruit available for my children, plus a drawer in our refrigerator with cheese sticks, yogurt, baby carrots, and sliced bell peppers that they can reach whenever they are hungry.
It's important to me that my children are snacking on healthy foods and not just filling up on sugary snacks between meals. As a mom of 6, my advice for getting your child(ren) to snack on wholesome food (without it being a battle) is to let him or her choose their snack from a variety of healthy options. If you give a child choices, it lets them feel in control.
By limiting sugary and acidic snacks and brushing their teeth at least twice a day with Orajel fluoride toothpaste, I know I'm doing everything I can at home to help protect their teeth from cavities."
4. Make the Switch From Non-Fluoride to Fluoride Toothpaste at the Right Time
"Lee Lee is a little copycat. She wants to do everything her brother and sister do. From getting dressed in the morning, to brushing their teeth at night. They are her role models. But as much as she'd like to, she's not ready for everything they're doing. While her big siblings are brushing with Orajel Fluoride Toothpaste, Lee Lee is still on the non-fluoride training paste for now. Wondering when your child is ready for the switch? Once you're sure your child is not swallowing when brushing, and can spit out when told, they're ready to move up!
If you ask Lee Lee, she has the spit down, and though we think she's pretty advanced for her age, she's not quite there."
5. Take Oral Care Seriously -- Especially Now
"Did we forget our PJs??
Nope! That's because brushing teeth isn't just for bedtime!
Now more than ever, it's especially important to practice healthy oral care habits, as our access to dental care is limited. This includes: brushing twice a day, flossing every day, and enjoying low sugar snacks (our girls love sugar free Greek yogurt!)
And when it comes to brushing, Orajel has lots of products that make it fun, like the PAW Patrol Training Toothpaste that our littlest loves!"
