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Fail-Safe Ways to Get Your Kids' Teeth Clean!
We've been there. Your child reaches two years old and all of a sudden hugs and dribbly smiles have been replaced with tantrums and gnarls! They have an adventurous spirit and the sentence they have perfected is ‘I do it!’
As you read this, there will be thousands of two-year-olds around the world screaming that very sentence. (Don’t despair though they do end, usually around twenty-two years old!) So, how do you get through the next twenty years? While we don't have all the answers read the tips below to help you fight (and win) one of your hardest parenting battles yet.
Ten Tips to Win the Toothbrush Battle!
Don’t even attempt to start using the bathroom at the start of the toothbrushing battle, they will take you down day one! Be strategic, plan your war and weapons carefully! Once your little one is lying down it is so much easier to gain access to their mouth. Even though they are independent and capable at this very mature age, they are not able to brush their teeth effectively until they are seven years old! (Some twenty-seven years old!)
Let them try brushing for themselves. Don’t feel bad about the little time ‘your turn’ actually takes. Most parents get around 15 seconds to brush as fast as they can! The aim is 2 minutes but it’s a bit like the ‘aim’ at the gym to run for the whole 30 minutes.
Give your child's toothbrush a name, a special voice and it is coming to have a party in their mouth and tickle their teeth!
Alternate with different brushes. Jack N’ Jill has a vast selection of toothbrushes and this makes it more interesting for the little ones. At two and a half years old you can switch between our Plastic Free Bio Toothbrushes and our Silicone Tooth and Gum Brush. Then a bit closer to three, you can bring out the big guns; Buzzy the Electric Toothbrush!
Be anyone they want you to be, their wish is your command. You’re a genie! Don that performer's hat and DISTRACT! This is one of the best techniques at this age for the tooth battle. Sing their favorite song, and do a tap dance! If they bite on the brush, stop the performance until they let go.
Jack N’ Jill Natural Toothpaste is so YUMMY and, best of all, safe to swallow. Make a deal – they get to "eat" the first squirt and brush with the second! How about making a fruit salad and mixing 2 flavors, like Banana and Blueberry! And if you run out of time for breakfast…hey at least they ate something?!
At three years old Jack N' Jill Kids Electric Musical Toothbrush Buzzy Brush is sure to impress. They almost forget there is a war and start to ask to clean their teeth! Buzzy plays music, and explains what to do! The first musical track is fun, educational and very catchy. It switches itself off after two minutes so that they know when to stop brushing. Buzzy has a silent mode for when it’s all a bit much (for you, not them!)
Using tasty toothpaste encourages them to brush and sets up positive associations with their oral care routine early on. Reach for a safe and tasty option, like Jack N' Jill Kids' line of kid-safe toothpaste, formulated with Xylitol to protect teeth and fight decay, along with organic fruit flavors and tastes delicious.
Play guess the flavor. With nine options to choose from at Jack N' Jill Kids, they won’t get bored quickly. Don’t show them the tube and see if they can recognize the fruit flavor. Extend out the game as long as you can and brush like crazy (gently) whilst they are distracted.
The battle is close, the odds are stacked against you, and this calls for the final attack! The bear hug! Hold them tight and brush those teeth. This must be a battle that is won! The future health of their teeth as adults depends on you. Pick your battles. This has to be a clear winner, and the war against wearing the superhero outfit with gum boots and a snorkeling mask to kinder, well, that can be fought another day!
What works for you and winning the toothbrush battle? Share your war stories below, or tag us on Instagram @jackandjillkids
