That's interesting about the flashy toothbrushes actually causing more chaos than helping—I'd kind of assumed all the lights and characters would make kids more compliant, but maybe it just distracts them. The silly song idea sounds like a good compromise. Has anyone tried using those brushing apps with timers and rewards? I'm curious if the gamification helps, or if it just becomes another distraction like the flashy brushes.
We tried a brushing app with our youngest—one that had little games and gave out stars for brushing longer. At first, it was a hit, but honestly, it turned into a battle to get him to focus on the actual brushing instead of just watching the screen. The timer part was helpful, though. I think the simpler, the better... too many bells and whistles just made things more chaotic for us.
That sounds a lot like what happened at our place. We downloaded this “super fun” brushing app, and my son got so into collecting stars that he’d just stand there, toothbrush barely moving, eyes glued to the phone. I swear, he could’ve been brushing a potato for all the attention he paid to his teeth. The timer was the only part that actually made sense for us—at least we knew he was in there for two minutes.
We went back to basics after that. Now, we just play his favorite song for two minutes and do a silly dance while brushing (I look ridiculous, but hey, whatever works). It’s not high-tech, but at least he’s brushing and not staring at a screen.
Has anyone tried those toothbrushes that light up or play music? I’m kind of curious if those are less distracting than an app, or if it’s just more chaos...
Has anyone tried those toothbrushes that light up or play music? I’m kind of curious if those are less distracting than an app, or if it’s just more chaos...
We actually gave the light-up toothbrush a shot after the app thing flopped for us too. My kid was obsessed with the lights at first, but honestly, it didn’t distract him as much as the screen did. The novelty wore off after a week or two, but it helped get him interested in brushing again. The music ones are hit-or-miss—ours played some generic tune and he found it kind of annoying, but I’ve heard other parents say their kids love them.
I totally relate to the “silly dance” approach. It feels goofy but it works way better for us than any gadget. Sometimes I think all the tech just adds another layer of distraction. Going low-tech with a favorite song is simple and keeps them focused on brushing instead of whatever’s happening on a screen or toy.
If you do try one of those brushes, maybe just treat it as a short-term motivator rather than a long-term fix. At least that’s what worked in our house.
The light-up toothbrush was a brief hit at our place too—my daughter thought it was magical for about a week, then it became “just a toothbrush” again. I agree, screens are way more distracting. We ended up sticking with silly songs and making faces in the mirror... less fancy, but it works. Sometimes less is more, right?
