Taking care of our teeth is very important. Adults know how important it is along with the consequences of not brushing regularly. People are supposed to brush their teeth at least two times a day. Dentists would recommend after every meal using an anti cavity tooth paste. Children don’t know what dentists recommend. They don’t realize the consequences of not taking good care of their teeth. We do. As parents we need to teach our children by setting an example and enforcing it. We also need to set a routine. A tooth brushing routine. Using a chart to keep track of the routine makes it both habit, and fun!
Your child could be the worlds best little tooth brusher. He could get every crook and cranny of his teeth clean when he brushes. Yet if he only brushes once a week his teeth will still eventually show signs of neglect. Children need to brush their teeth at least twice a day. Morning and night. After breakfast and before bedtime. Once a day will only half way protect your child’s teeth from cavities. Twice a day will ensure a healthy mouth and smile.
To make a tooth brushing chart you’ll need a blank piece of paper, the ability to draw a straight line, and a marker. Lay the paper on your working surface and create a blank calendar. Eight lines equally spaced across the paper which go vertically. Six lines horizontally, also equally spaced. There will be thirty-five equally sized boxes when you have finished.
The boxes will be seven across and five down. Above the first row of five down, above the box that begins the first row of seven across, write Sunday. Remaining in the first row of seven across, above the second box, write Monday. Continue in this fashion through all of the days of the week.
Once you have the names of the days in place you’ll need to add the numbers. May begins on a Tuesday. So the first Tuesday would be the first day of the month if you’re doing May. You may need to check the calendar! Write the numbers in accordingly until you’ve reached the last day of the month.
Okay, so you have you’re blank calendar. It doesn’t matter how many children you have. Tooth brushing time is almost always the same for everyone. Each morning and each night should count for every child in the home together.
To make your calendar a morning and night calendar you’ll need to draw a line diagonally through each numbered box. The top half of the box represents morning. The bottom night. There is room for both morning and night when you slices those boxes in half.
You’re done making the tooth brushing chart! It’s that easy! Now take it into the bathroom. Hang it on the wall near the sink. Let it be there in plain sight as a reminder of good habits, routines, and healthy teeth. Now all you need to do is use it!
Begin using the chart in the morning. One the first day explain to your children what the chart is for and why it’s there. Something like ” This is our new tooth brushing chart. It will help us to remember that we need to brush our teeth twice a day to keep them healthy. Each morning and each night we will put a star on the chart to show that we took care of our teeth when we were supposed to!
You can draw a little star or smiley face in the space, or you could pick up some inexpensive tiny stickers. Kids really love stickers. You can also let your children know that if they brush each morning and night they’ll get a sticker to keep for themselves at the end of the week. Incentives make doing the right thing a little more fun for kids!
SO, that’s it. It’s all very simple and the results are fantastic. Sometimes parents have to be a little bit creative to teach children good habits and routines. This is just another creative way when it comes to tooth brushing. Kids love to chart their progress and parents love to see their kids progress. Everyone wins and your children’s teeth are kept healthy too!
