Practicing good oral hygiene is important for kids, especially when their teeth first start to come in. Unfortunately, actually brushing those teeth is easier said than done. These tips can help their brushing go a lot smoother, helping avoid those fights before bed.

Create a Tooth Brushing Station

A helpful technique to get your kid to brush their teeth is to give them choices. That's why you'll want to make a tooth brushing station where your kid has control over what they are using to brush their teeth. Purchase some toothbrushes with their favorite cartoon characters on them, and toothpastes that are different flavors. By giving them the choice about what toothbrush and toothpaste to use, they will be more excited when it comes to brushing their teeth.

Brush With Them

Modeling for your child is a great tool for when you want them to learn how to do something. Even though you are not ready to brush your own teeth when they are, it helps to model the proper brushing behavior with them. If they see you brushing, they are going to try to use similar techniques so that they can brush just like mom and dad.

Use A Tooth Brushing Song

A kid may not understand how long they need to brush their teeth, so use a tooth brushing song that you'll play each night. They keep brushing, and when the song is over they can stop.

Search your favorite online music store for the phrase "brush your teeth," and you'll be sure to plenty of songs to pick from. You may even see your child dancing each night while brushing their teeth before bed.

Use Children's Mouthwash

If your child is not doing a great job brushing, mouthwash can be a good way to rinse away bacteria in hard to reach places. Before you use mouthwash, even the safe kind designed for children, have them practice rinsing with water. Once they demonstrate that they can spit out the liquid and not swallow it, they'll be ready to use a mouthwash.

Do a Teeth Inspection

You can also tell your child that you need to do a teeth inspection afterwards, which gives you an opportunity to brush their teeth for them if they didn't do so great themselves. List the various foods your kid ate during the day as you brush their teeth, telling them that you see things that they missed so that they try better next time they brush. 

For more information, contact a business such as Dr. Jerry F. Maymi & Associates.