Anything that gets them brushing—even if it’s silly—seems worth it compared to the alternative.
Totally get this. I used to roll my eyes at some of those “brush like a dinosaur” videos, but turns out pretending to stomp around with a toothbrush actually kept my daughter engaged for longer than I expected. We’ve also done a “tooth treasure hunt,” where she tries to find and brush every “hidden gem” (aka molar). Curious if anyone else has found ways to keep things fresh after the novelty wears off? My kiddo gets bored of routines pretty fast...
Funny thing—I’ve actually seen some kids get *less* focused on brushing when things get too silly or wild. Sometimes, a quick song or just letting them pick their own brush does the trick. Maybe less is more once the novelty fades?
I totally get what you mean. When my niece was younger, we tried every goofy trick in the book—dinosaur dances, silly voices, you name it. But after a while, she just wanted to get it over with. Honestly, letting her pick her own toothpaste flavor and having a two-minute timer worked way better than any game. Do you think kids just crave that tiny bit of control rather than constant entertainment?
Honestly, letting her pick her own toothpaste flavor and having a two-minute timer worked way better than any game.
That’s interesting—I’ve noticed something similar with my son. He got over the novelty of the silly games pretty fast, but picking his own toothbrush (he went with a ridiculous shark one) made a huge difference. I do think kids want some say in things, especially with routines. Did you ever run into battles over the timer though? Sometimes mine will try to rush it or sneak out early... not sure if that’s just his age or if timers just aren’t as magical as I hoped.
I’ve definitely noticed the same timer struggle at my house. My youngest will watch the timer like a hawk and sometimes stop brushing the second it hits zero, even if he’s barely touched his back teeth. Other times, he tries to “accidentally” bump the timer off early or claims he can’t hear it over the sink running. I’m not sure if it’s just his age or if he’s figured out that timers aren’t actually the Tooth Brushing Police.
Has anyone tried those musical toothbrushes? I’ve heard some kids will brush longer because they want to finish the song, but I wonder if it just becomes background noise after a while. I’m curious if giving them more control—like letting them pick the song or the timer—actually helps, or if it just turns into a new thing to argue about.
Also, for those who’ve had braces or other orthodontic stuff, did you find it harder to get kids to brush properly? I remember when I first got my aligners, I was way more motivated because my orthodontist kept showing me all the gross stuff that could build up if I didn’t brush well. But with little kids, I feel like that kind of “scare tactic” doesn’t really work—they just get distracted by something shiny and forget about brushing altogether.
What’s worked better for your families—routine and choice, or switching things up with new games and gadgets? Sometimes I wonder if we overthink it and they’d be fine with a plain old toothbrush as long as they get to pick it out themselves.