Tooth Brushing

 

Does your child struggle with brushing all of their teeth? Maybe they brush one side, rinse, and put their tooth brush away. This chart was made to help kids learn how to brush all sections of the mouth. See below for different ways to use the chart:

Checklist: Place the chart in a page protector, Ziplock bag, or laminate it. Hang the chart where your child brushes their teeth and can be easily seen. Show the child the different sections of their mouth and then mark them off with a dry erase marker as they brush them. Once the child understands how it works try to decrease how much you are helping and see if they can do it themselves! This might mean using fewer verbal cues and pointing to the visual if they missed something.

Practice at the table: Place the chart in a page protector, Ziplock bag, or laminate it. Use a dry erase marker or tooth paste to cover the teeth. Have the child use a spare toothbrush, finger brush, or sponge to “clean” the teeth off. Once the child understands how to do this, try transitioning to using the chart while they brush their own teeth as listed above.

 

Additional Tooth brushing Tips:

Toothbrush Varieties: There are great toothbrushes out there to help with tooth brushing

• 3-sided Toothbrush: Can brush all sides of the teeth at one time to increase efficiency
• Electric Toothbrush: Good for kids who seek sensory input and also does a good cleaning in a shorter amount of time
• Light up timer toothbrush: Provides a visual cue for how long they need to brush for

Mouthwash Smart Rinse: There are both pre brushing and post brushing mouth rinses on the market that color the teeth and show the food particles and plaque that are on the teeth. This can provide a visual cue of where they need to brush to remove all the “dirt”.

How long it will last: You can use a timer, sing a song, or count to help your child understand how long they need to brush for. Maybe they need to count to 10 on each section or they need to brush for the length of a song or until a timer runs out. This can help them understand when it will end and what is expected of them.

Modeling: Try brushing your own teeth next to your child to model what you want them to do! You can also try this Sesame street video about tooth brushing to see other kids brushing their teeth and to get them excited about tooth brushing: Sesame Street: Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me! 

 

How to Be a Tooth Brushing Star!