teeth brushing?

Question

i have a seven year old who doenst like to brush his teeth...im wondering if its merely the imposition or if maybe he doesnt like the flavour of the toothpaste...any ideas?

Answer 1

Could be both had it that way with my elder of 2. Best thing pedi had us do?? went on the web and pulled up photos of "rotting teeth, teeth cavities, etc". and prepared him "that we are going to show you pictures of people who didn't brush their teeth and what happens". well the photos were down right gross and disgusting. Needless to say they all brush 3 times a day, and floss am and pm. 10,8, 6 never a cavity.

On the lighter side- we let pick their own toothpaste out, we get he flavored pre-post brush rinse (orange is gross) grape and pink bubble gum is the best. Also we bought them an egg timer-set it for 2 minutes and you/dad have a race with them- see who had whiter shinier teeth after 2 minutes it becomes a game not a chore that way. and in the end- your teeth will be healthier. Also- if not already check with pedi about fluridated vitamins especially if he/she doesnt catch onto the whole brushing idea they will need the extra protection. And there is nothing unsafe about the vitamin- the amount of flouride is totally generated to gum and bone health. my hubby is a dentiat and says he can tell the minute a person smilies if they have enough flouride. Unless your child drinks 8 glasses of you tap water, your pedi should have them on flouridated vits.

best of luck

Answer 2

Tooth brushing is extremely important, especially at this tender age. Instilling a habit of healthy brushing will follow your son through out his adult life. Also, at this age, adult teeth are growing in. These are permanent and need to be protected to last the 60+ years they were meant for.

There are many fun ways to enhance the desire to brush. They make tooth brushes that have a small button at the end. You push the button when you begin brushing, and the handle of the brush blinks for 1 minute, the recommended minimum brushing time for children. This is nice because you can tell the child to continue brushing til the light goes off. Also, a new item that you can purchase at Wal-mart is a brush that sings to your teeth. It offers popular hip-hop and pop music themes, and is electric. Buying your child an electric tooth brush, regardless of music and lights, is a good idea, because it enhances the time he does spend brushing, even if it isn't much time at all. A good electric brush can do the work of 2-3 manual brushes, meaning even if he only brushes for a few moments, his teeth get cleaner. It can also help him feel like a big kid or an adult, and make brushing seem more important.

As far as the flavor of toothpaste, simply ask your child, at seven, he's plenty old enough to tell you if it tastes bad. If this is his problem, do buy a new flavor of toothpaste. They come in bubblegum, fruit punch, cherry, grape, cinnamon, and various mints. Also, get some mouth wash, and dental floss. They make little holders with floss already in them, and a handle. This makes flossing easier.

A chart, just like from when you were potty training, with stars, may also help. Dentists recommend brushing at least twice a day, and normally, not more than 3 times. Over-brushing is a bad idea as well, because it can wear down the enamel on your teeth. After breakfast, if he eats at home, or before school if not, and right before bed, are great times to brush. Make a chart, and offer him a prize if he misses no day for a certain period of time, a week or a month.

Don't hesitate to offer your child incentive for doing what you want. Look at it this way...you wouldn't go to work every day if they didn't pay you. Human beings need a reason to do things. At 7, health isn't a good motivator. Give some other reason to comply.

Also, make sure your son sees a dentist every 6 months, for a checkup and standard cleaning. The dentist will give prizes for an easy and good check up and can help instill good habits.

Most importantly, do NOT give up on this. Healthy teeth are an important part of a healthy life. Bacteria in the mouth can cause many illnesses, not to mention dirty teeth look gross and can rot.

Answer 3

I had the same darn problem with my son. I would have to sit there in the doorway to make sure he even did it. I finally found two things that turned him somewhat in the right direction. First, get him that Agent Blue Mouthwash for kids made by Listerine. It dyes tarter in the mouth blue and makes them want to brush until they are all clean. Second, the new toothbrushes that are out in Walmart are a WONDERFUL!!! They are called Tooth Tunes. You can get them with many different songs already programmed into them (one song per brush). When the brush is in their mouth the brush starts playing the song for one minute. It sounds like a nice stereo system when the brush touches the teeth. You won't believe this thing!! Here is the link so you can see what I am talking about:

http://www.hasbro.com/toothtunes/

If that doesn't do the trick, I don't know what will!! Go buy the brush...it is worth the nine bucks. Good luck!!!

Answer 4

Maybe both. It is a "chore" to some kids. Let him pick out his own toothpaste at the store. Give him a time frame or options on when he has to brush. Such as if you want to eat this or watch this or play this your teeth have to be brushed before you are allowed to. And stick to it. Or try finding pictures of teeth that have been neglected and show him what could happen if he doesn't brush regularly.

Answer 5

Seven-year-olds don't like taking the time. If you're trying to get him to brush three or four times a day maybe you could, for now, aim to get him to brush when he gets up and before he goes to bed. Two good brushings a day is better than none.

My mother made a chart for us, and after we brushed our teeth we'd add a star. The aim was to be able to see all those days with all those stars (and to make us want to have the stars that were supposed to be there).

Answer 6

My son is 8. He's the same way. He'll brush his teeth for like 5 seconds and think he's done! I bought him some of that mouth wash that shows the kids where the food and plaque are and now he knows where to brush better. He actually enjoys it. Be wary of "children's" toothpaste because it has a lot of sugar in it. Not good if you're working so hard to avoid cavities. I don't like the taste of the "spicy" toothpaste so we bought some that taste like oranges. It's good and I don't gag any more while brushing my teeth.

Answer 7

take him shopping with and let him pick out a toothbrush standard or even an electric one and let him choose the toothpaste they have lots of kids toothpaste and flavours. Make it a routine to do every night before going to bed and in the morning show him how to brush his teeth and brush your teeth at the same time with him.

Answer 8

I always had trouble wanting to brush my teeth. My father drew a sign that said "Did you brush your teeth today?" and he put it on the mirror in the bathroom. Eventually I started to brush my teeth. Try that. Make the sign fun too.

Answer 9

Is there a 7 yo who likes to brush their teeth????

Answer 10

It might be the flavor of the toothpaste, try letting him pick out his own toothpaste and toothbrush. My kids didn't really care for taking the time to brush and after a couple months of standing over them and making sure they do it, they gave in. I still occasionally have to do the "let me smell your breath test" to make sure they brushed. I told mine that the kids that they sit with on the bus and the kids they sit by in school can smell their breath, and that they don't want to be caught with funky breath. Maybe you could show him some picture of rotten mouths on the internet and scare him into brushing because you know he doesn't want his mouth to look like that.