Are you the parent of young children? Is it a struggle to get them to brush their teeth every day? Children, especially younger children, can't always understand why it's important for them to brush their teeth. Cavities are just a vague threat that they can't really comprehend. So instead of threatening your children with various punishments to make sure that their teeth get brushed, here are some ways to encourage proper brushing without making it a daily argument:

Turn it into a game: For very young children, making a game out of brushing teeth can be a great way to encourage proper dental hygiene. Find a song that is approximately 2 minutes long and turn it into your family "tooth brushing" song. When the song plays, it's time for your child to brush their teeth and to do a silly dance in the process. You and any other children should also participate. If anyone stops brushing during the song, they lose the game. Younger children especially love turning everything into games, so this will be a great way to get them to brush their teeth and to ensure that their next visit to your family dentistry office is cavity-free.

Reward them: For slightly older children, you can turn the brushing of teeth into a condition of getting an allowance or as a way to get a slightly higher allowance. After all, adults get paid to do things they don't want to do. You'd probably be very upset if your boss called you in for overtime and said that they weren't going to pay you for the extra work. To a kid, brushing teeth is work, especially when they'd rather be doing something else. Paying them a nickel or a quarter every day that they brush their teeth properly can be a great way to incentivize proper brushing. Your family dentistry office may even have tooth brushing charts available so that you and your child can keep track of brushing and how much he or she should be paid. If you don't want to pay your child outright, you could instead allow them to stay up later when they brush their teeth or have a pizza party if they brush their teeth properly for a whole month.

Let them pick the toothbrush & toothpaste: Not all kids like the strong mint flavor that adult toothpaste has. Some children may prefer cinnamon or fruit flavors instead. And even though they may be inexpensive, adult toothbrushes are boring and may be too large for your child's mouth. At the store, let your child pick out whichever toothbrush and toothpaste that they want. Character toothbrushes, or toothbrushes that sing and light up, may seem silly and expensive to you, but they can be worth the extra expense if they get your child to brush their teeth without complaint. A singing toothbrush is certainly going to be cheaper than having to pay your family dentistry office for a filling in your child's mouth.

For more tips and advice, contact a dentist such as Tore D Steinberg DDS PC.