After all the damage Halloween candy causes to teeth, National Brush Day could not be more welcome! Every year on November 1, parents have the opportunity to remind their kids about proper toothbrush care and oral health in honor of National Brush Day.

Most kids do not get nearly as excited about brushing their teeth as they do about filling their Halloween baskets full of candy. You can make oral hygiene a fun topic by incorporating interesting oral hygiene facts and activities into your National Tooth Day celebrations. Here are some ideas to get your kids excited about brushing teeth.
 

Have a Toothbrush Competition

What is more fun than a little competition between siblings and parents? To make brushing teeth seem more fun, create a family toothbrushing chart. Have each member of your family write down how many times they brushed their teeth each day for a week and how long they brushed each time.

Make sure your children know that The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice per day for two minutes each time. To make it easier to keep track of time, consider putting a two-minute sand timer on the bathroom sink where your children can easily reach it. You can also instruct your kids to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in their heads two times through. If they sing slowly instead of rushing through, it should take them about two minutes to get through both rounds.

Don’t forget to invest in awards for the winners of your competition. To avoid fights among siblings, pick out a reward for every participant in your competition, but reserve the best reward for whoever takes the best care of their teeth. Remember to invest in non-sugary rewards. The last thing you want to do is reverse all that brushing by having your kids chow down on sugar!
 

Try Different Toothpaste Flavors

It is easy to grow tired of the same old minty toothpaste flavors. Why not try unusual flavors to garner some excitement for brushing teeth? Depending on how adventurous your family members are, you may even want to try highly unusual toothpaste flavors such as chocolate, bacon, or even cupcakes!
 

Choose a Toothbrushing Theme Song

To make toothbrushing more fun, choose a favorite song to play each time your kid's brush. If you search online, you can even find child-centered songs that are all about brushing teeth. These songs are perfect for helping your child look forward to using his or her toothbrush every day.
 

Review Proper Brushing Technique

Brushing your teeth seems like a simple thing. When you are a kid, though, it is easy to forget proper brushing techniques. In honor of National Brush Day, remind your kids how to brush properly. Here are the brushing techniques to remember:
 

• Use a soft-bristled brush to avoid damaging tooth enamel

• Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums

• Use short, wide strokes to gently brush back and forth

• Brush all visible surfaces of the teeth

• Clean the insides of the front teeth by tilting the toothbrush vertically and brushing up and down
   

Who says brushing teeth is not fun? Try these techniques to help make National Brush Day one of the most anticipated days of the year. To further help create healthy childhood smiles, schedule a checkup with the Pediatric Dental Group today.