Forming good oral health habits from a young age is crucial but by no means easy. It’s an unusual and often uncomfortable experience for little ones when you start out but the problem is, playing hardball can result in resentment and dental-phobia later in life. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Curaprox to bring you these creative and fun parenting ideas to make the tooth brushing battle a thing of the past.

USE FUN COLOURS

Choose a toothbrush that they want to pick up and enjoy using. Some sing, some flash and most come in a myriad of enticing and attractive colours.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BRUSH

Milk teeth are the placeholders for subsequent adult teeth and support the development of speech as well as of the jaw and face. A lot of damage can be prevented with the correct, gentle products. The compact head of Curaprox’s baby toothbrush reaches all areas of the mouth, ensuring that no tooth remains uncleaned. Plus, there is no danger of injury thanks to the soft rubberised brush head. Wonderfully soft yet extremely efficient, the Curen® bristles are very fine and therefore make teeth cleaning a pleasurable experience. The rounded handle helps children hold the toothbrush correctly from the beginning, and it also prevents excessive pressure.

BRUSH TOGETHER

This seems so obvious but it’s often something parents forget. Instead of just pointing to where your child should brush, teach by demonstration as you do it with them. They’ll get a much better understanding of how to clean their teeth properly, plus it teaches them that they’re not alone in having to brush daily. If you always brush your teeth after your toddler has gone to bed, he or she might start to feel that they are being punished in some way. Brushing your own teeth at the same time models good dental hygiene and shows that it’s an important part of everyone’s routine.

LET THEM PRACTISE ON OTHERS

If you’re tired of fighting your child to open their mouth to let you brush, try opening your own mouth to let them practise on you. Be a good actor, make tooth-brushing seem fun and enjoyable and your little one will want in on the action too. If practising on you is not the ideal option, encourage your child to practice on a stuffed animal or doll. The whole process will be much more enticing when their favourite toy is involved.

REWARD THEM

Purchase, print out or create your own calendar for 2019. Buy sets of stickers you think your child will love. Every night or morning after your child has finished brushing his teeth, reward his effort with a sticker to place on the calendar to mark a successful cleaning. Keep upcoming stickers hidden and secret so that every night, picking out a new sticker to place on the calendar remains an exciting surprise. If he successfully fills up a full month of the calendar with stickers, reward your child with an even bigger reward, like a bonus in his allowance or a toy he has wanted.

MAKE IT A GAME

Create a song to brush along, choreograph a dental dance or dream up a game where it’s them against the sugar bugs. Having a more playful approach to oral hygiene will make the whole experience far less daunting.

TRY A DIFFERENT TOOTHPASTE

Your little one’s taste buds will be sensitive to extreme flavours so when starting out, look for a toothpaste that has been formulated for children. If possible, let him or her choose for themself. You may need to try out a few different brands or flavours before you find the right one.

START EARLY

It’s never too early to make brushing and flossing a part of their morning and nightly routines. In fact, dentists will often recommend you start dental care even before your child’s first tooth arrives. Curaprox baby products help parents get their children used to regularly brushing without the tears. From the first few months, the Curaprox Teether is a gentle tool to get your little one used to dental care with a tiny toothbrush head that gets tiny mouths used to the sensation of a brush. It’s the ideal product to get them started before they move on to something like the unique Curakid toothbrush. Schedule a visit to the dentist by the first birthday, regardless of how many teeth they have.

For more information about Curaprox, visit curaprox.com