Kids are funny creatures – when you want them to do something, they won’t do it, but when you don’t want them to do something, they will do it. Encouraging good dental hygiene from your children is remarkably difficult for most parents. When children get too stubborn or emotional, many parents are left wondering what they can do to support positive oral health practices.

As your trusted local dental clinic near me, our Gosford Dental team has provided some key tips for encouraging your kids to sustain good dental hygiene.

1. Get them into a routine as early as possible.

If you enforce twice-daily brushing from a young age, your children will start to clean their teeth and gums out of habit. The sooner you start imposing morning and night-time dental routines, the sooner your kids will accept them.

As well as sticking to a strict cleaning routine, you could start introducing the idea of orthodontics at an early age. Although not every child will need braces, many children will seek central coast orthodontics and coastal dental and braces. It is best to teach and inform them about this possibility as early as possible. By discussing and talking about orthodontics early, you will prepare your kids for what is to come.

2. Set a good example yourself.

We all know that kids can be copycats, which means you need to demonstrate good oral hygiene yourself for them to do it too. We suggest brushing your teeth alongside your children, so they don’t feel singled out. Good family dentistry clinics should also offer side-by-side appointments so you can get your treatment directly before your kids do.

3. Establish regular visits to your local family dentist.

The more that your child sees their dentist, the more comfortable they will feel with them. Regular visits to your dental clinic near me are vital for overall oral health and hygiene. Seeing the dentist bi-annually will ensure that any issues or complexities are realised before they become irreversibly problematic. Some dentists even recommend that children see their local family dentist more regularly than that. By establishing a solid schedule for visiting the dentist now, you will encourage your child to continue seeing the dentist every six months throughout their adolescence and adulthood too.

4. Don’t talk negatively about dentistry or orthodontics.

Children are sponges. If you speak negatively about dentists, your children will immediately adopt the perspective that all dental clinics are bad. The reason that most children hate going to the dentist and brushing their teeth is because their parents openly discuss hating these things too. It is up to you, as their parent, to create a positive vibe towards oral health and family dentistry visits. If you remain optimistic around your child, they will ooze with positivity too.

5. Make dental hygiene a fun and exciting topic for your kids.

To ensure your children are brushing their teeth for a full two minutes twice per day, you might want to play a two-minute version of their favourite song. This will allow them to feel that teeth brushing time is a fun time and something they can enjoy doing. There’s nothing wrong with a little dancing as you brush your teeth after all (as long as there is still a good amount of focus on quality brushing technique!)

If your children are very young, you might like to entice them to brush and floss by offering them a reward afterwards. However, never offer them anything too expensive or demanding as a reward because this may become an expectation every time they brush their teeth.

Additionally, most young children love the mystical character of the Tooth Fairy. Getting a present from the Tooth Fairy makes losing their teeth a much more pleasant process. As family dentists, we highly recommend spreading news of the Tooth Fairy to your children.

6. Choose a central coast dental clinic that specialises in family dental

The particular dental clinic you choose to send your children to will make an enormous difference as to how they view dentistry. If your child has a good relationship with their dentist, they will be happy to attend for their regular check-ups. A poor relationship with their dentist could result in many tantrums and arguments.

The best dental clinics on the central coast will be friendly towards your children and ensure they are comfortable at all stages of their appointment. As well as establishing a safe and enjoyable environment, the most popular central coast dentists will be patient and forgiving to your children. They will never lecture them or become aggressive.

If you would like to send your family to the most reputable dentist on the coast, contact the Gosford Dental team to book an appointment.