Getting Kids to Brush Their Teeth

In Sweden, they send you a toothbrush and toothpaste in the mail for the baby, even if they don't have their first teeth yet! They want to make it a habit to start brushing teeth/gums from early on. They also want the parents to help with brushing even when the child is a bit older.

A child's first dentist appointment occurs once they turn 1 years old. This is mostly an information meeting though, as they mostly ask the Parent questions about the child's diet and if they are using a soother/pacifier. The dentist might count how many teeth the child has and will also give you a new toothbrush and toothpaste. Of course, parents are welcome to ask whatever questions they are wondering about - from flossing to grinding (this is apparently a normal behavior for kids!)

After that, Kids have a checkup every year, unless they spot something or you are concerned about something with their teeth. For example, my little one complained that her teeth hurt when she would bite down. I asked the dentist about this and they scheduled her for a check-up and did some X-Rays. They said everything looked fine in the X-Rays, but it could have been a few differen things that caused it. She has a tendancy to grind her teeth and bite down really hard, that could cause the pain or she might have accidentally hit her teeth during a fall at school (but the teacher didn't mention anything like that to me). The pain did go away after a week, and I'm glad they were able to look at it right away in case it was something serious.

It can be a challenge getting kids to brush their teeth. They can be too sleepy, or you as a parent might forget since you have a long list of other things to remember to do. 

We've tried so many different toothpaste flavors, from strawberry flavored to mint. Mint has been the current favorite.

We've also tried different toothbrushes. At the beginning she wanted adult size ones to copy us, but then it was baby size ones and then back to kids size.

Recently, we decided to buy an electric toothbrush for our preschooler. The Dentist said it could help encourage her to brush.

Pink and Disney themed. This one from Oral-B comes with different stickers.

The Result: The preschooler was really excisted to have a  new toothbrush! "Mommy, can I brush my teeth" it was music to my ears! Hahaha. I'd definitely recommend an electric toothbrush if it's been a struggle trying to get them to brush teeth.

Thanks for reading and remember don't forget your snacks (But no snacks after brushing teeth!)!