Your toddler doesn't want to brush their teeth - screaming, crying and whining, and when you finally manage to convince them, instead of brushing their teeth they bite the toothbrush and after a while throw it into the corner? Many children associate this daily activity with an unpleasant chore, and encouraging toddlers to brush their teeth is a worry for parents. That is why in today's magazine we suggest how to teach your child to brush their teeth and what to do to turn this everyday activity into fun.
Caring for children's oral hygiene - when do I start?
From birth! Already in the first months of life, we should encourage habits of hygiene in the toddler, and after the third birthday start learning to brush their own teeth. Let's educate, but also let the toddler make independent attempts to brush their teeth. And although, by the age of 7 or so, he or she will probably not be doing it with the required precision, in the end, practice makes perfect!
What Jaś does not learn...
Neglecting a child's oral hygiene - what are the consequences?
During the first years of a child's life, the ability to brush teeth is developed. The earlier we, the Parents, teach and encourage our children to brush their teeth properly, the more they will not have a problem with brushing in the future. This is extremely important, as neglecting to take care of a toddler's oral hygiene has a number of consequences. One of these may be the premature removal of milk teeth, which in turn may lead to malocclusion. The consequence of not brushing teeth is also pain and discomfort, which may result in the toddler's reluctance to eat.
Therefore, in order for our child to have healthy teeth and a beautiful smile, we must persuade him or her to take care of oral hygiene and clean teeth regularly and thoroughly!
How do you encourage your child to brush their teeth? Proven methods
Every parent knows how hard a rebellious toddler can get. It can be a challenge to appease their tantrums, especially if you have no idea how to do it. When it comes to brushing teeth, it is easy: just convince your toddler that it can be fun. But how to do it? There are many ideas. All it takes is a bit of will, imagination, a good dose of humour and off we go! 
Toothbrush
Colourful, playing, glowing, with a bunny, princess or perhaps a character from your favourite fairy tale? What is the best toothbrush? One that your child can choose for themselves. Take your little one shopping and let them choose a few toothbrushes they like best. This way, your little one will associate brushing their teeth with the pleasure of watching cartoons, and this will undoubtedly help encourage them to take care of their hygiene. It is also worth buying a second toothbrush for the toddler's favourite teddy bear or doll. Such a game of washing the 'teeth' of teddy bears also has great results and shows the child that everyone needs to take care of them. Storage of the toothbrush is another thing to take care of. A rainbow of colours will accentuate the colourful toothbrush holders, cups and stands, which can be mounted on the wall or on the glass of the shower cubicle. Such a set is a guarantee of a (healthy) toddler smile!
Flavoured toothpaste
Many children do not want to brush their teeth because they do not like the mint flavour of toothpaste. Fortunately, there is toothpaste in attractive packs and different flavours in the shops, e.g. strawberry or the kid's favourite - bubble gum! Try it out, there's bound to be a toothpaste that appeals to your little one. Remember, however, that it is not only the look and taste of the toothpaste that is important but also its composition. Make sure the product you choose is based on natural ingredients and is suitable for your child's age. If the packaging of the chosen toothpaste is kept in monotonous colours, you can enliven the tube with an original cap, which will arouse the child's appreciation. Who knows, maybe the parents will be tempted by it too?
Plaque staining solution
If your toddler keeps asking you why you are brushing your teeth and claims that you cannot see dirt on them - you absolutely must buy a plaque-staining mouthwash. After rinsing the mouth with it, the liquid colours the uncleaned areas and plaque in a specific colour. The child must clean the teeth in such a way that nothing coloured remains on them. Don't let the colourful play spots scare you - the cleaning will only take a few minutes, the bathroom will turn into a colourful island and a (caries-free) smile will dawn on your little one's face!
Tooth brushing station
Set up a special toothbrushing station next to the sink! What should be there? A toothbrush holder, toothbrush, toothpaste container and mouthwash cup, of course. A special ladder or a stand for standing at the washbasin is also a reliable gadget. Remember, however, to always guard your child against falling! It is a good idea for the toddler to brush his teeth in front of a mirror and see himself while doing so.
Of course, as with the toothbrush - let your child choose the toothbrushing accessories. Create a personalised toothbrush holder with your toddler, for example, with your little one's name or his or her pet name. You can also decorate it together - paint it or put colourful stickers on it.
Brushing teeth together
Your little one loves to imitate you and still wants to do what you do? Great! Then use this to encourage them to brush their teeth! Go to the bathroom with your toddler and start brushing their teeth - let them see you brush them and see that it is natural and obvious. When your little one sees mummy and daddy brushing their teeth, he or she will be happy to join you! By the way, show your child how to brush their teeth and how to rinse their mouth after brushing. Also, explain that toothpaste must not be swallowed.
Brushing teeth together can be great fun for your little one. Besides, no one likes to have someone standing over them to check that they have done something right. Also, let your child put the toothpaste on your toothbrushes and pour the water into the cups. How about the toddler brushing mum's teeth, mum brushing dad's and vice versa? We are convinced that your child will be delighted with this form of play. Lots of laughter and joy are guaranteed! The relaxed atmosphere will ensure that the toddler does not see brushing their teeth as an unpleasant and unpleasant chore, but as fun with the family.
Singing and listening to songs
"Brush, toothpaste, cup, warm water - this is how a great adventure begins!" - do you know the iconic song by the Beaners? It's fantastic background music for brushing your teeth! Introduce a new habit - play the song in the bathroom or sing it together when it's time to clean teeth. Encourage your little one to brush frantically to the beat of the music until the song is over. The little one will have a great time and thus forget that brushing teeth is a chore. And who knows, maybe singing together will turn into a real passion and your little one will turn out to be a talented musician. 
Duties board and sticker collection
Every parent knows that kids love to be rewarded for good behaviour. A great way to motivate your child to brush their teeth is with a chore board - the little one receives small rewards for completing various tasks in the form of stickers and smiley faces, which he can then exchange for a new toy or book. It is a good idea to create such a board and include the item "brushing teeth" alongside the other chores. It works!
Timer
A great solution is also to buy a toothbrushing timer. Initially, set it for one minute. Tell your toddler that they should brush their teeth until they hear the signal. When the timer sounds, praise your toddler that they has succeeded and bravely scrubbed their teeth. Gradually increase the brushing time until you reach 3 minutes. The timer will certainly make the daily brushing of teeth more interesting and the child, who waits impatiently for the signal, will not even notice when the time has passed. It is worth ensuring that such accessories attract the toddler's attention with their colour palette and interesting designs.
Phone apps
Kids love electronic devices! This can be used to get them interested in brushing their teeth. Apps in a form that is attractive to toddlers combine several of the methods already described above, such as sticker collecting or timers.
The power of authority
If your child listens more to the doctor at the clinic or the lady at the nursery, perhaps he or she will listen more to the nursery teacher or perhaps the dentist or dental hygienist when it comes to brushing his or her teeth. Professional learning to brush teeth in a unique place such as a dentist's surgery can really produce surprising results and motivate your child to take care of oral hygiene.
Learning through play
Educate and explain why brushing teeth is so important so that your child knows why they need to take care of their oral hygiene every day. Of course, you need to convey this knowledge in a language that is simple and understandable to the toddler. You could tell them a story about the bad bacteria eating away at their teeth, which need to be regularly chased out of their mouth by brushing. Tell them what can happen to their teeth if they are not looked after. Tell your toddler that unwashed teeth will get sick and hurt, making it difficult, if not impossible, to play and eat every day.
How about playing the dentist or cleaning your teeth? All you have to do is draw your teeth on a large sheet of paper and then put it in a plastic shirt. The fun is to use a marker to paint food on the teeth, e.g. chocolate in brown, bananas in yellow, etc., then lightly wet a toothbrush in water and tell the child to brush the teeth until they are clean. This kind of play is very motivating for children, but it also teaches them how to hold the toothbrush correctly in their hands and how to brush their teeth with precision.
Children's books or fairy tales with characters brushing their teeth are also excellent for education. Such images are very appealing to children!
Parents!
Parent, be patient and don't get frustrated if learning to brush teeth doesn't go your way straight away. Remember, every child develops at his or her own pace! Give your child time to get into the habit of brushing his teeth. Be consistent, however, and despite setbacks - don't give up and try to brush your little one's teeth every day. Sooner or later you will surely encourage your toddler to take care of their oral hygiene. We hope you can turn brushing into fun with our tips!
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P.S. Does your child avoid kitchen chores as much as bathroom ones? Check out our Magazine on how to encourage your child to help out in the kitchen.
