A smart toothbrush? Yep! For about $150 dollars, you can buy a smart toothbrush to track your kids’ brushing habits and provide them with games to make brushing fun. The smart toothbrush has Bluetooth connectivity and will work with your smartphone or tablet. But if $150 seems like a bad bet to try to get your kids to brush better and longer, get creative. Can’t think of any tooth brushing games? We can help.
Five Games to Make Toothbrushing Fun
- Ready, Set, Go! – Brush your teeth while your kids brush theirs. See who can brush the longest, and let your kids win. What’s the prize? Think of something simple, healthy, and motivating that your kids will really want.
- Colorful, character toothbrushes – Five colorful, character toothbrushes are much cheaper than a smart toothbrush. Disney-themed toothbrushes or ones that feature your child’s favorite characters can make brushing fun. Have several toothbrushes available for your son or daughter to choose from. Is there a song from a movie that relates to the character? Play it or hum while brushing!
- Let Teddy, Pooh, Dora or another pal sit and watch while your child brushes. You can be the background voice for the pal to encourage your child and cheer him or her on.
- Music – Music motivates. Play some while your child is brushing his or her teeth. If you can find a song that’s about two minutes long, encourage your child to brush while it plays. Sing the song while your child brushes. Be silly with it. Dance. It will make the time go quickly.
- Apps – There are free downloads that you can play on your mobile device while your child brushes his or her teeth. Try not to play the same song every time. Keep it fresh and fun.
If you have older children at home or know older children with whom your little one is comfortable, ask them for suggestions for toothbrushing games. They might have good ideas to help you meet the challenge and make it fun! Don’t give up. Good brushing habits can help prevent more serious dental issues and more frequent dental visits.
This post is sponsored by San Jose family dentists Dr. Ralph Stanley, Dr. Magdalena Azzarelli, and Dr. Rogé Jacob of Hillsdale Dental Care.
