How Long Should a Child Brush Their Teeth?
Information on Oral Health for Children and Some Helpful Tips
Excellent oral health is something that should be very important to parents when it comes to their children. Often, improper and infrequent brushing can lead to a child having less than perfect oral health, which can lead to additional problems. Often times parents struggle with their children to get them to brush their teeth and do it correctly, a cause for concern for many caregivers.
The statistics surrounding the oral health of children can be quite alarming. In a recent study, 37 percent of parents polled said their children had excellent oral health, but almost 35 percent of all respondents said their children brush their teeth less than twice a day. Caregivers and parents that were polled also said they recognize the frequency in which their children brush to be “not enough” even though over 95 percent of that same group say that they supervise and assist with brushing with children under six.
Among those parents who admitted to their children’s oral health is less than excellent, only 56 percent said their children brush for a minimum of two minutes. Two minutes is the amount of time that dental professionals recommend children and adults spend on brushing their teeth. Many parents struggle to get their children to understand the importance of proper oral health and/or to get their children to brush frequently and properly – here are some tips that can help encourage them to brush:
- Take Turns Brushing: One fun way to encourage children to brush their teeth for the recommended amount of time is to take turns – the child will brush for 30 seconds, then the parent will brush for 30 seconds until both have completed their two minutes. Including a fun egg timer or stopwatch can make the act of brushing their teeth seem more fun.
- Trade Places When Brushing: For those parents who brush their children’s teeth for them, consider trading places when it comes time to brush. Allow the child to brush the parent’s teeth for them, with some instruction, in exchange for them allowing the parent to brush their teeth.
- Ask for Help from the Dentist: Sometimes hearing the same message from a different person is an effective way to get the information across to children. For parents who are still struggling to get their children to brush frequently and properly, consider asking the family dentist to explain to the children how to brush and why brushing their teeth is so important.
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*Photo Courtesy of Paul via Creative Commons License
