I participated in this sponsored campaign on behalf of Firefly®, REACH®, and One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own.
We are at that phase where Baby R wants to do everything himself. I mean everything. While I love his sense of independence, there are certain things that I know that I have to teach him to do correctly. One of these is developing good brushing habits.
Baby teeth are porous which means that they are especially prone to cavities. This is why it is important to develop good brushing habits now, not only to protect the teeth but also to establish healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Through a process of trial and error with both boys, I have come up with a list of four tips for developing good brushing habits with children.
Let them pick a toothbrush they love. Little E’s first toothbrush was a light-up one from Firefly®. We’ve had a number of toothbrushes since then, but his current favorite is a Star Wars Kylo Ren lightsaber, also from Firefly. It actually lights up and talks — and he loves it! The brush flashes for 60 seconds to teach kids to brush for a full minute as well as has a protective cap to ensure the bristles and the brush head stay clean. Since he likes the toothbrush so much, it gets him excited to brush his teeth each morning and night.
Demonstrate good brushing habits yourself. Your children are always watching you. They learn from what you do. If you let them see you brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash then they will want to do the same. REACH® has a wide variety of toothbrushes and other oral care supplies to help you develop your own healthy habits.
Purchase kid-friendly mouthwash. Let’s face it, your kids want to do everything you do (see above!) and teaching them to use mouthwash is a good habit to start. There are mouthwashes made for kids, such as the Firefly Spider-Man Fun Pump that I have for Little E. This mouthwash is alcohol and sugar-free and has a fun melon flavor. It also features a Spiderman head pump and an included no-mess cup.
Make healthy habits a rewarding experience. I did this by creating an oral care chart. For each day of the week I put a box for brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash. For each one they do, the boys can put a sticker on the chart. This will motivate them to keep up with their hygiene habits and even to see their progress. As a special bonus, I have made this oral care chart as a printable that you can simply print out and hang up in your own bathroom!
I love using the Firefly products with my kids because it helps turn brushing into playtime. Available at an affordable price point, Firefly products are ADA-approved and feature a variety of characters and colors. In addition, Firefly recently launched their Lights, Camera, Smiles! sweepstakes on their Facebook page. One lucky grand prize winner will win a trip for a family of four to Hollywood. How cool is that?
Even though I am teaching my boys to develop their own healthy oral care habits, it is important to mention that when your children are younger no matter how independent your children want to be you will still need to help them with the brushing. Let them brush themselves first and then assist them in completing the brushing.
