Most kids dislike going to the dentist because of all the unfamiliar sights, smells, surgical masks, scary machinery, etc. However, even though going to the dentist isn’t the best experience, it is absolutely essential for good dental health. It is imperative that your child learns the importance of going to the dentist so that they continue the habit as they transition into adulthood.

This article will cover a couple of tips that you can use as a parent to make going to the dentist fun, as well as how to get your kids more interested in taking care of their teeth.

Choose Your Dentist Wisely

Now, when you start looking for a dentist for your kids, you may consider using your own dentist. However, if that dentist doesn’t specialize in kids, then they may not be the best choice. You should look for a good pediatric dentist in Jacksonville FL who specializes in dentistry for kids or even a general dentist that works with both kids and adults. A dentist that is good with kids will comfort and entertain them so that the entire visit goes well and puts all of their fears at ease.

Special Dentist Costumes

If your kid is particularly afraid of going to the dentist but also fond of wearing costumes, then you can allow them to wear their favorite costume to the dentist. A kid wearing a Superman or Wonder woman costume is sure to feel braver and at ease.

However, when choosing a costume, you need to make sure it won’t interfere with the dentist’s job. By allowing your kid to wear a superhero costume, you can help them to understand how dental visits are necessary to beat the bad guys which are cavities, plaque, etc.

Create A Dental Report Card

In order to emphasize the importance of brushing their teeth, flossing and using mouth wash, you should create a dental report card. On this report card, you can keep a record of all the days they’ve done an excellent job at taking care of their teeth. Then, you can show this report card to the dentist, which they’ll absolutely love and it will help your kid to get excited about good oral care.

Almost every kid loves receiving good mark stickers and showing them off, so this can help to reduce their anxiety about going to the dentist.

Provide Rewards

Next, another way to get your kid excited about dental care is to reward them for taking care of their teeth and behaving well at the dentist. This reward can be as simple as taking them out to see a movie, going to a play park or taking them to a children’s museum or other kid’s attraction. This will eventually make them look forward to seeing the dentist and help establish the habit.

Making Dental Hygiene Fun

Since we have just covered how to make going to the dentist fun, we will now look at how you can make dental hygiene fun for your children.

Give Them A Cool Toothbrush

One way to get your child excited about brushing their teeth is by giving them a cool and colorful toothbrush they’ll love. There are many kids toothbrushes that come in various cartoon characters and themes.

For example, you can easily find Superman toothbrushes, GI Joe, Wonder Woman, My Little Pony, Dinosaur, etc. Whenever you need to get a new toothbrush, be sure to get a new character that they’re sure to love.

Kids Toothpaste

In addition to buying fun toothbrushes, you can also get a kids toothpaste. Most kids won’t get excited about using the typical mint flavored toothpaste that adults use.

Instead, you can buy kids fruit-flavored toothpaste that they’ll love using.

Make It A Group Activity

Another way that you can make dental care fun is to brush your teeth with your kids at the same time. Most children like to mimic what their parents are doing, so this is a great way to make use of that. By brushing your teeth with your kids, you will be able to show them exactly how to brush their teeth, scrub their tongues and how long to brush their teeth for. You can also show them how to floss their teeth and use mouthwash.

Dental Care Kids Books

Lastly, in order for your kids to understand how important oral care is, you can buy your kids books about dental care. Alternatively, you can find these books in your local library.

These type of books are made up of interesting stories that are specially meant to appeal to kids and hold their attention. It will help to convey the importance of dental care in a way that they can understand.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, we have just looked at how you can make dental care and going to the dentist fun for your kids. Be sure to implement at least a couple of the above strategies and I’m sure you’ll see a difference in your child’s attitude towards oral care.