Is My Child Brushing Long Enough?

Have you recently transitioned from brushing your child’s teeth yourself to letting them take control of their dental hygiene? While you may not be the one holding the toothbrush for them, it’s still important that you supervise to make sure they’re using the proper technique and brushing long enough.

Twice a Day for Two Minutes Each Time

Your child should brush their teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. This is the same recommendation when it comes to adults too. The difference is that two minutes can seem like an eternity for a child, whose concept of time is still developing. Some children may feel like they’ve brushed for long enough when really it has only been 30 seconds or less.

Tips for Toothbrushing Time

To help your child brush for the correct amount of time, we have some simple tips:

Download a Toothbrushing App

There are many different apps out there designed to motivate kids to brush their teeth. Disney Magic Timer by Oral-B and Toothsavers Brushing Game are just two of the options. Open up the app and toothbrushing will probably seem far more fun and interesting, making it easier to keep your child going for the full two minutes. We also recommend pairing the app with an electric toothbrush, which does much of the “work” of brushing.

Choose a Toothbrushing Song or Video

If your child gets bored while brushing their teeth, they may be more likely to stop early. To keep them brushing for the full two minutes, play a fun song or video for them that lasts two minutes. It can be easier waiting for a song or video to play completely than it is to count down the seconds on a clock.

If you are using a song or video to engage your child, be sure your child brushes the four quadrants of their mouth for 30 seconds each; you don’t want to have them spend the full two minutes brushing the same few teeth in one section of their mouth!

Need More Dental Hygiene Tips?

Contact us at Tots to Teens Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in Lytle! As experts in pediatric dental care, our team is happy to help in any way that we can.

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Categorised in: Cavity Prevention, Kids Dental Care, Oral Hygiene