What To Do When You Get A Bad Report From Your Kids’ Dentist

I partnered with Oclean for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

As a mom to a big family, I try to schedule appointments all at once or at least several at a time. It’s easier to make one trip and knock out multiple obligations, which I find is an especially helpful tactic with dental appointments.

A Less Than Stellar Dental Visit

A couple weeks ago, all five of the older kids and my husband had their bi-annual dental cleaning appointments. (I stayed home with baby Ruby since she still isn’t the easiest baby and hanging out at the dentist for two+ hours with her would have been torture.) As my husband was getting his teeth cleaned, other hygienists were finishing up with a couple of the kids. Unfortunately, they filed one after another into his room with bad report after bad report! “Lucy has lots of build up.” “Alex said he never brushes his teeth because you don’t remind him.” “Sam has a cavity.” My husband said he felt like he was in the naughty chair!

To clear a few things up, we definitely remind our kids to go brush their teeth almost every single night. However, we would tell them and the accountability of ensuring the action took place was falling to the wayside. Surprisingly, neither Alex nor Lucy had a single cavity (Sam had 1) but all got a stern talking to from the dentist about the importance of brushing in an effort to keep that plaque at bay. So we decided it was time to make some changes at home that I wanted to share with you today in an effort to help our kids have better teeth.

The Change We Made To Set Our Kids Up For Success

Accountability: We have found a way to ensure accountability so nobody can say ‘I forgot’. Each child has been assigned a figurine. (One has a small knick knack unicorn, another a goose, etc.) After brushing in the morning, they place their assigned knick knack on the counter so I can SEE the task was done. I then put it back in their bathroom by their toothbrushes. In the evening, the process is repeated with the items being placed on my husband’s nightstand as he is in charge of ensuring evening brushing occurs. It’s been a couple weeks and this process is totally working for us! I can visually see when a child hasn’t yet brushed and then call out a reminder. So if you’re struggling with lack of brushing follow through, give this method a try!

10 Tips On Helping Your Child Have Great Teeth

• Start Young: It’s always better to begin good habits at a young age. Did you know they even make little finger brushes so you can brush your infants gums and/or teeth!?
• Do It Together: When your child is young, a great way to encourage good brushing habits is to brush together. This will give your child a visual on HOW they should be brushing.
• Use A Timer: Since brushing teeth isn’t the most exciting activity, it can feel like it takes ‘forever’ to a child. Utilizing a timer to ensure adequate brushing time is important on the journey of good oral health.
• Avoid Sugary Foods Or Drinks: Don’t worry, I’m not the sugar police…..I get how real life works. It’s okay to have some sugar but try to keep these types of foods and drinks as treats for special occasions as opposed to everyday staples. Bacteria feeds off the sugar in your teeth so when the kids consume these types of foods and beverages, brush right after to remove those sugar bugs from their teeth quickly. If brushing immediately isn’t an option, have them drink some water instead.
• Floss Regularly Too: Regular flossing is super important at helping to avoid those cavities that can show up between the teeth.
• Rinse After Meals: After a meal, encourage your child to swish clean water in their mouth for about 30 seconds and then spit it out in a sink. Also, at any time throughout the day after consuming food (or non-water drinks), make sure to drink a few ounces of water to rinse away debris.
• Add Calcium To Their Diet: Calcium is a dental super mineral because it can neutralize damaging acids and remineralize the enamel to protect the teeth. An easy way to sneak this in each day is to include a glass of milk or a dairy product with every meal.
• Limit Citrus: Foods with high levels of citric acid can actually erode tooth enamel which can lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. When consuming high citrus foods, be sure to rinse your mouth after.
• Keep Dental Appointments Regular: Life is busy but one thing you don’t want to skip out on is dental appointments and regular cleanings. Our teeth are with us for life so taking care of them is super important.
• Get Your Child An Electric Toothbrush: There are several reasons why an electric toothbrush is a good choice for kids. According to a new study, electric toothbrushes clean teeth and gums much better than a manual toothbrush. Scientists found that people who use an electric toothbrush have healthier gums, less tooth decay, and also keep their teeth for longer; compared with those who use a manual toothbrush.

Oclean Kids Electric Toothbrush Review

After the aforementioned less than stellar dental visit last month, we’ve buckled down on brushing habits and embarked upon the hunt for an electric toothbrush for the kids. A great choice that we found is the Oclean Kids Electric Toothbrush.

Features At A Glance:

• Geared For 6 Year Olds And Up
• Ultra-Quiet Performance
• AIl Over Pressure Protection
• Gentle For Gum & Teeth
• Silicone Brush Head Back
• 80,000 Movements Per Minute
• Maglev Motor
• Dupont Sodium Fluoride Bristles
• Up To 30 Days Battery Life
• 3 Hour – Quick Charge
• IPX7 Waterproof

Our Thoughts On The Oclean Kids Electric Toothbrush:

I love the simplicity and ease of use with the Oclean Kids Electric Toothbrush. The on/off button is easy to press for a child and has a built-in timer. When running, it lights up around the edge and when the battery is running low, it will flash a red light to warn users it is time to charge.

There are also two brushing modes on this kids sonic electric toothbrush: soft and standard. The charger inserts into a wall charging cube (charger included but cube not). Then simply place the toothbrush on the circle shaped magnetic charging base and it will automatically begin charging.

Overall, I love the simplicity of this toothbrush as well as the fact that it comes with an extra brush head (as kids can be rough on toothbrushes). This toothbrush is also really affordable (under $40!) and you can choose from either blue or pink.

Tell me, do your kids remember to brush their teeth on their own or is it a battle in your home too?

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