Are Your Kids Brushing?

4 ways to tell if your kids are doing a fantastic job brushing their teeth

While you may not have time to stand outside the bathroom and stare at your children while they are brushing their teeth, it is important to ensure they are doing the job properly. While you can find this out at their six-month dental check-up, that can create an embarrassing situation for you and can cost you money. Instead:

1. Take a look at their teeth after they brush. "By looking at their teeth you can tell if there is food still stuck to the surface of their molars or food on the back surface of their lower front teeth," said Dr. Fuller. This is the easiest way to see if they are getting all of their teeth brushed or just the front teeth.
2. Smell their breath. When your child first gets done brushing you should be able to smell the toothpaste and mouthwash. If their breath smells like the after-effects of dinner, they probably need to go and do a better job of getting those teeth clean.
3. Dr. Cameron Fuller states, "they’re done brushing before two minutes is up." Set a timer for yourself when they say they are headed into the bathroom to brush. Brushing should always take at least two minutes if they are doing a fantastic job. In and out of the bathroom is a sure sign they are not doing a quality job.
4. Utilize the, “squeak,” test. Have your child wet their finger and run it across their teeth. If it makes a squeak sound, then they have done an excellent job of brushing their teeth, if not, they have some work to do.

 Brushing, flossing and visiting the pediatric dentist are not optional. Instead think of it as the only way to ensure your child has a healthy smile for a lifetime.