Your child is now old enough to be independent in brushing his teeth, but you have to fight twice a day to get him to agree to do it? It’s not always easy to make your child want to brush their own teeth. Here are some tips tested by parents and approved by dentists!

Create a fun routine

If your child senses your annoyance or eagerness for the toothbrushing routine to go quickly, the chances of him cooperating easily diminish. Instead, why not create a fun routine around it? A fun dance to the bathroom, a theme song, etc.

Give the example

Your child wants to imitate you. Get into the habit of brushing your teeth at the same time as him, side by side. This will show him the right behavior to adopt to be like adults.

Invent a song

A nursery rhyme or song about brushing teeth helps the child identify these times more clearly, make brushing last long enough, and make it more fun!

Play his favorite song

Create a playlist with their favorite songs and let them choose which one they want to listen to while brushing their teeth. Bonus point if it lasts more than 2 minutes and he doesn’t even realize it!

Let him choose his toothbrush

Make him feel like a grown-up by letting him choose his own toothbrush at the store. One more step towards autonomy!

Use an hourglass or timer

Add an hourglass or timer to your bathroom to encourage your child to meet the recommended brushing time of 2 minutes.

Set up a reward chart

For every consecutive day he brushes his teeth without complaining, move him forward on the board. He can earn himself the title of “teeth champion” at the end of the week and get a small reward of your choice.

Play target shooting

For the more competitive, place a small bath toy at the bottom of the sink. The goal? Spray it while aiming as best you can with the spit!

Explain why it’s important

Children understand that health is important. Explain to him what could happen if he doesn’t brush his teeth properly to hold him accountable.

Read a book on toothbrushing

Stories are always a good way to introduce certain concepts to children. Go to the library or bookstore to find a book on toothbrushing.

Use a fun app

There are apps specifically designed to help kids brush their teeth. Ben Le Koala for the little ones is interesting. There’s also Disney MagicTimer (requires an Oral-B Kids product to use).

Incorporate your stuffed animal or doll

Sometimes, you can successfully integrate a skill into your child by placing him in the role of teacher. Bring his favorite stuffed animal or doll into the bathroom and have your child show him how to brush his teeth properly. He’s the big one now!

We hope that with these 12 tips in hand, you can motivate your child to make brushing their teeth a fun activity. Don’t forget to make an appointment with the dentist at least once a year to have your child’s teeth and mouth examined. In addition, it reminds him how important it is to take good care of his oral health!