Your Child’s Dental Hygiene
Being the adult in the room can be a challenge. Adults have to be the ones to prioritize homework, chores, and self care for the children in their lives. The good news is, that it doesn’t have to be a drag! There can be fun ways to take part in supporting your child’s dental hygiene!

Consider Their Developmental Age and Stage

A teenager will need a different kind of approach than a toddler. No matter the age, making your child’s dental hygiene fun or worthwhile is the name of the game! A good place to start is figuring out age appropriate and personality appropriate motivators for your child. A quiet snuggly toddler may enjoy special downtime with you while brushing their teeth, while a busy preschooler may enjoy making it into a game. A teenager concerned with their social standing may be more meticulous about daily oral hygiene tasks if they know how important dental hygiene is to maintaining a healthy and attractive smile!

Help Them Realize They Can Invest in Their Health

A child may respond positively to a tangible reminder of how their actions play out. The Tooth Fairy paying more for teeth without cavities, for instance, may be a tangible reminder that every time they brush and floss, they invest in themselves and their future. For a younger child, a sticker chart may be a way to encourage them to invest in themselves. Your child’s dental hygiene can be fun, and you can make memories together prioritizing your dental health. Just be creative and thoughtful, considering what interests and motivates them.

Be a Good Example

Brush and floss with your child. Show them how you prioritize your dental health. Watching you do it too helps normalize good dental hygiene. This is more important than any other efforts you can make. Also be a good example beyond the daily dental hygiene matters, show them that seeing the dentist regularly is a good and enjoyable thing, and make their regular check ups and cleanings a special thing. Let them see and hear you talk positively about regular dental care, and know that the dentist is not something to dread, but something pleasant to look forward to.
The first part of being supportive can be building a good team around you and your family to support you in investing in your child’s dental hygiene. Give us a call at the Avondale, Gilbert or Mesa Dental Office today to set up an appointment. We would love to be the team that helps you and your child experience good dental health!