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Brushing teeth is extremely important in order to preserve oral hygiene
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There are various ways in which parents and children can turn points of contention in fun, enjoyable activities. One example of such a point is brushing teeth. Brushing teeth is extremely important in order to preserve oral hygiene. It is also an acquired habit imperative to early childhood development, and it is often difficult to induce in children who refuse to brush their teeth.
It is important for children to brush their teeth not only in order to maintain oral hygiene, but also to avoid excess bacteria from building up around their mouths and lips. For example:
Plaque: plaque is a colourless layer of bacteria that forms on the teeth. These bacteria feed on food particles in the mouth that have been leftover by not brushing correctly, producing acids as a result. These acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay and cavities - small, painful holes in the tooth.
Gum disease (Gingivitis): Gum disease is extremely common in children. It causes the gums to swell and bleed, and can be prevented with a regular routine of brushing and flossing. Teaching children to brush and floss correctly will help develop important oral hygiene habits in early childhood development. This will help prevent the build up of bacteria and other unwanted diseases in children.
Therefore, It is important to try and invent a way to encourage children to brush their teeth properly, and easier if this formula is designed to make teeth brushing fun. Many children refuse to brush their teeth because of the simple reason that it is not a particularly fun activity, and because they cannot yet appreciate the importance of the act it seems boring to engage in it.
Initially, it can be helpful to discuss with children the important of oral hygiene, and to use fun, colourful toothbrushes to practice with. Supervision and encouragement is essential at this stage.
If this does not work, games and songs can be used as a fun method to motivate children to brush their teeth. For example, have a child stand facing a mirror and make funny faces to his or her reflection until laughter is induced. Use the child's favourite song as a way to add dance-like movements to the child's facial expressions. Later, a toothbrush can be introduced.
Children need to learn how the circular motions of the toothbrush as well; this can be turned into an additional activity involving shapes and movement. The child can use the toothbrush as a dance prop, while brushing their teeth throughout. The song in the background acts as a timer, making sure the child brushes for a full couple minutes.
Younger children love hearing stories, and react well to stories that are repetitive. To a child, hearing a familiar story helps strengthen their self-confidence, as they can easily follow along and help contribute to the story's outcome. There are various stories involving oral hygiene that can be repeated until they become familiar to children. Parents can repeat and play out a story in order to familiarize their children with the importance of oral hygiene.
Resources: http://www.xpressdentalclinic.com http://ezinearticles.com/?Brushing-Teeth---Early-Childhood-Development&id=7847056
