I totally relate to feeling like the “tooth cheerleader”—I’m way more aware of my own brushing now, too. It’s like I can’t slack off if I’m nagging my kid about it. About water flossers: I actually tried one with my daughter (she’s 4), and honestly, it was a mixed bag. She thought it was fun at first, but then got kind of freaked out by the noise and the water splashing everywhere. It did seem to help with some of the sticky stuff, though. I don’t think it’s overkill if your kid is into gadgets, but for us, it turned into more of a mess than a habit.
The cracker thing still blows my mind. Who knew Goldfish were so sneaky? I’ve started giving her a sip of water after snacks, which seems to help a little. Brushing before bed is still a battle some nights, but I guess that’s just part of the ride. Hang in there—you’re definitely not alone.
That water flosser story made me laugh—brings back memories of my grandson’s “fountain” phase. He was more interested in spraying the dog than cleaning his teeth, so that didn’t last long at our house either. The Goldfish thing is wild, right? I never realized how sticky those little crackers get until I started babysitting more. Do you find certain snacks are worse than others, or is it just anything carb-y? Brushing battles at bedtime sound exhausting... I remember bribing with story time, but even then it was hit or miss.
