“Have your brushed your teeth yet?” It’s a well-worn line used by parents for generations to assess whether their children have actually brushed their teeth before school or bedtime — and are not just taking their word for it.

Your dentist in Everton Park is a keen advocate for starting and maintaining your kids’ dental health routine from an early age (for children as young as two years old).

We recommend the more effective, beneficial and hands-on approach for parents — to practise what they preach. Showing children through actions and not dental dictates guarantees that parent and child alike improve their dental health routine for the long term.

Studies show that a child’s mental-and-physical development and education are enhanced by practical instruction about maintaining a dental health and oral hygiene regimen. This is achieved by showing them exactly how it’s done.

Show how is know-how

Proactive parents are getting involved at the bathroom vanity by showing their kids not only how to properly brush and floss their teeth on a regular basis, but also injecting the fun, familiarity and family-bonding exercise of teeth-brushing togetherness. This is especially important for young and impressionable children.

Learning by experience is the best way to ensure that your child knows how to properly care for their teeth and long-term dental health. This invaluable life lesson has positive spin-off effects that are designed to be shared and cared for by future generations of avid teeth brushers!

Putting words in their mouths

Actions speak louder than words. And, when all is said and done, the best approach towards creating a culture of children’s dental health and oral hygiene from a young age relies on group-style enjoyment, regularity of process and all-important know-how.

So, how do you teach your children to brush their teeth? It’s all in the action, including:

How to brush up on your toothbrushing skills

You should aim the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the gum line;
Don’t use too much toothpaste; only a pea-sized amount is required per brush;
Use a gentle circular motion when brushing, ensuring that the brush also gently massages the gum line;
Repeat this process on the inside surfaces of your teeth;
Adopt a light forward-and-back motion on the chewing surfaces;
Spit out toothpaste after brushing and rinse mouth with water to remove leftover fluoride.
The tooth-brushing process should take two minutes and be practised twice a day, preferably after breakfast and before bedtime.

Regular brushing, flossing and using a dentist-approved mouthwash also ensures that your teeth receive the most effective care in maintaining the health and quality of your dental routine.

Once your children have a handle, so to speak, on how to brush, floss and care for teeth, there are other baby steps they can take towards ensuring the lifetime health and quality of their teeth. This will ensure that their dental routine goes ahead in leaps and bounds, from their formative years to beyond senior status. These measures include:

Other top tips for maximising your oral hygiene routine

Limiting the consumption of sugary foods and acidic drinks, such as cordials and soft drinks;
Drinking plenty of water, at least eight glasses a day;
Protecting your teeth from injury: if your children are sporty, ensure that they always wear dentist-approved mouthguards during heavy-contact sports.
Learning how to save broken or knocked-out teeth, if applicable;
Promptly consulting a professional dentist in the event of dental emergencies.

Children also require regular dental check-ups, at least twice yearly, and these can be scheduled with your own regular consultations. In this way, you can make going to the dentist an excursion that instils a culture of family-dentistry unity and enjoyment. Make visiting your highly qualified, family-friendly Everton Park dental centre a shared pleasure. Call us today on (07) 3355 7936 to find out how you can truly practise what you preach by booking a group or family-style appointment.