As long as he’s getting the habit most days, I call that a win.
Honestly, I get super anxious if I even think about skipping a day. I remember my dentist pointing out all the buildup after just a couple missed brushes, and it freaked me out. But I totally get that some days are just tough with kids. Do you ever worry about cavities sneaking up even if it’s just “most days”? I wish I could relax about it more.
I totally get that anxiety—sometimes I’ll check my kid’s teeth with a flashlight if we skipped a night, just to make sure nothing’s brewing. I do worry about cavities, but honestly, some nights it’s just not worth the meltdown. I figure as long as it’s not a habit to skip, we’re probably okay… but yeah, the guilt is real.
I’ve totally been there—sometimes the bedtime battle just isn’t worth it, right? I’ve bribed, I’ve sung silly songs, even tried to make brushing “fashionable” (my kid now calls it her ‘tooth spa’). Honestly, missing a night here and there isn’t the end of the world. I get that nagging guilt too, but if it’s not a pattern, I think you’re doing just fine. And hey, the flashlight inspection? That’s some next-level parenting.
I remember when my grandkids were little, it was a nightly negotiation just to get the toothbrush in their mouths. Sometimes I’d let them “brush” my dentures first, and that got a few laughs. I do think consistency matters in the long run, though—missing a night once in a while probably won’t hurt, but when I was younger, skipping too often definitely caught up with me. Has anyone found that letting kids pick their own toothpaste or brushes actually makes them more interested, or is that just wishful thinking?
Letting my daughter pick her own toothbrush actually did make a difference, at least for a while. She went through a phase where she wanted the sparkly unicorn brush and bubblegum toothpaste—honestly, I didn’t care what it looked like as long as she was brushing. It became less of a battle and more of a “show off the new toothbrush” moment. That said, the novelty wore off after a few weeks and we were back to negotiating again.
I’m in braces right now (as an adult!) so I’m probably more obsessive about oral care than most. Looking back, I wish my parents had made brushing more fun or let me have some control over it. I do think consistency is key, like you said, but sometimes you just have to mix things up to keep kids interested. Missing a night here or there isn’t the end of the world, but forming the habit early definitely pays off later—trust me, wearing braces as an adult is no picnic.
Long story short: letting them pick their own stuff helps, but don’t expect miracles every night. Sometimes you just need to get creative...