Ways to Make Brushing Fun

When and how to clean your baby’s teeth?

Sometimes most of new mommies will puzzled with the above matter.

Don’t panic. It is not a rocket science.

It is just “having fun time with your little angel“.

As soon as our baby’s first tooth appears, we should start caring for it.

Most experts recommend wiping the tooth a couple of times a day with a cloth. *I used this method*

Why? This keeps the residue from milk from sticking to the tooth.

KiruaMi Teeth
The secret of KiruaMi-cHan beauty smile: Routine of brushing teeth!

Also available are baby toothbrushes that fit on your finger, these have very soft bristles and can also be used to clean the tooth. This is a useful item to use, particularly as more teeth arrive.

Adult toothpaste is not recommended until a child is about three because they may swallow it and get too much fluoride.

However there are many varieties of children’s toothpaste on the market, in a variety of flavors, colors and branding.

Safety Tips: You can use a soft toothbrush, but no toothpaste, until your baby is at least six months old. Then never apply more toothpaste than the size of a green pea. Do not use toothpaste that has fluoride until your baby is two years old.

By the time children are a year and a half, they are more interested in the toothbrush.

It is worth giving them a toothbrush as soon as they become interested.

By 2 years of age you can teach them how to brush with a toothbrush twice a day.

Note: Take your baby with you to the dentist from being a tiny baby so he or she can get used to the sights, sounds and going regularly. This should help when a check up is needed once your baby’s teeth begin to grow.

Below are some of Dental Care 101:

Choose health snacks
The odds of experiencing cavities in primary teeth were significantly greater in children who did not eat breakfast daily or ate fewer than 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
Young children with poor eating habits are more likely to experience caries.
Try avoiding as much sugar as possible for your child. Sugar is a huge cause of teeth problems like cavities.
*I know from being a mom, we all love to spoil our child with cookies, cakes, ice cream and of course the good old juice. I’m not saying to stop giving them these items just cut back on them.*
Try to give them more fruits or vegetable, and if you want to give them cookies or something, try some of the sugar free products. They are really not that bad in taste.
The sugar free products have improved a lot, but if your child ends up not liking them, you can add a little flavor to them with some dip, if they are chips or peanut butter if they are crackers.

ReiHi Fav Orange
ReiHi-cHan favorite fruits. Orange gal!

Bedtime is the most important time to brush
If your child falls and cuts his or her lip, use something cold, such as a Popsicle. They will like the treat and it will reduce swelling at the same time.
Change your child’s toothbrush
Every 3 months and after the child has been sick. It is important to change toothbrushes after recovering from the cold and flu, as toothbrushes hold onto bacteria and may cause re-infection. *this is my strictly method*

How to Make Brushing Fun & Easy for Parent plus Toddler:

Brush with your child
Stand next to your child in front of the bathroom mirror and brush together.
It’s a nice time together, and your child can mimic your brushing technique.

Cute toothbrushes
There are lots of great-looking children’s brushes available in stores.
Be sure to choose a toothbrush that’s small enough for your child to hold comfortably, with a small, rounded head and very soft, polished bristles.
You’ll probably have to replace toothbrushes every three to four months (more often for preschoolers who tend to chew while they brush!) *my precise routine didn’t allow this act*
So when you get into the store, allow them to choose their favorite character tooth brush.
To make it even more fun for child allow them to pay for it at the register, this will not only make them feel special, it will make them feel like they are a big boy or a big girl like their parents.

ReiHi Fav
ReiHi-cHan’s picks

KiruaMi Fav
KiruaMi-cHan’s toothbrush selections

Tasty toothpaste
For children under 4, choose a product formulated especially for children, like Kodomo Lion’s for toddler.
It has a special mild flavor that babies and toddlers love, in Strawberry, Orange, Mango, Apple or Grape.
It’s also safe to swallow and non-abrasive. So tooth and gum care is easier and more fun.

Kodomo Lion's Toothpaste
I also used these toothpaste in my childhood days *yay*

Count as you brush
Count out loud as you brush each tooth: “Tooth number one is all clean! Tooth number two is all clean! Here comes tooth number three!”
This is entertaining for your child, and a good way to practice counting.

Teach direction as you brush
Pretend that you and your kiddies in military areas.
Say loud: Brushing UP, Brushing DOWN, Brushing RIGHT, Brushing LEFT.
Ask them to check on each other teeths including yours and says: All check, Commander, Sir!

Bring a friend
At bedtime, kiddies may want to invite a favorite stuffed animal into the bathroom to watch as they brush.

Tell a toothy story
Kiddies love to hear favorite stories again and again.
Try making up a special short story that you tell only during teeth-brushing time.
It can be simple and silly, like this one:

“Once there was a little girl (or boy) who had very, very dirty teeth!
Oh no! said the little girl. What should I do?
Boo hoo! Boo hoo! (At this point, your child can supply the sound effects.)
Then all at once, a magic fairy appeared and said, I have a special treat for you! It’s a magic toothbrush! Hooray! said the little girl (boy).
The magic toothbrush jumped up and brushed the dirty teeth just like this (you brush teeth), until they were as shiny as the stars in the sky.
This made the little girl (boy) smile the biggest smile in the whole wide world — just like this smile right now. (Your child smiles a big smile at the mirror.) The end.”

Sing a toothy song
Make up a silly song to sing every time you brush. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Try something like this, sung to the tune of “Barney: Brushing My Teeth“

“Oh I’m brushing my teeth on top, it’s so much fun I hate to stop, but while I’m brushing my teeth and having so much fun, I never let the water run. No I never let the water run. Oh, I’m brushing my teeth on the bottom, cuz I wouldn’t wanna say that I forgot em’, but while I’m brushing my teeth and having so much fun, I never let the water run. No, I never let the water run.”

“Oh I’m brushing my teeth in back, gotta get rid of all the plaque, but while I’m brushing my teeth and having so much fun I never let the water run. No I never let the water run. Oh I’m brushing my teeth all around, cuz I like to hear the squishing sound, but while I’m brushing my teeth and having so much, I never let the water run. Oh never let the water run. Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah, I never let the water run.”

YunaFi Smile
Lil YunaFi-cHan’s smile

Addition:

Every time you go into your bathroom to brush your own teeth, take your child with you. Show them that mommy/daddy brush their their teeth too. You can have your child help you, by allowing them to hand you your tooth paste and your tooth brush. Then while you are brushing your teeth, you can start singing a song about it. I know this may sound goofy, but sometimes being silly or goofy works better than being so serious all the time. *yatta*

After you are done doing your normal brushing routine, hand your tooth brush to your child and let them brush your teeth for you. This will allow them to see how it all works, but also they will see that it doesn’t hurt mommy/daddy, and then they won’t be afraid when it comes time for them to do it to themselves. I have noticed from my experience that children love to mimic their parents, so this is the occasion where you want them to mimic you. Always be there to supervise as well, because too much toothpaste can harm your child if swallowed.

You may also buy your child a book all about brushing their teeth, read it to them every night just like you would if you were potty training them.This allows all the literature to sink into those little brains of theirs. By doing all of these steps, your child will have that white pearly smile that you always want to see.

My personal tips:
Always reward your child with “Wow, what a great sparkling, pearl teeth that you had! It was so shining, and dazzling! I just can stop starring at your smiles“, hugs and kisses them, every time when they finished brushing routine.
*they’ll sure gonna love it and be very proud of their hardwork for taking care of their teeth*