At the end of a long day, the last thing you probably want to deal with is fighting with your kids. Instead of begging them to brush their teeth, you might send them straight to bed—giving plaque a chance to harden and damage teeth. However, you might be able to encourage better dental habits by trying a few things. Here are three ways to make dental care more fun for your kids, so that they actually want to brush, floss, and rinse: 

1: Use Plaque Disclosing Tablets

You might not be too excited about highlighting the grime on your teeth, but it might make the difference for your children. Plaque disclosing tablets, which are made from non-toxic vegetable dye, temporarily color plaque so that kids can see where it is. After tablets are chewed, your child can use their toothbrush to scrub away the color—making brushing seem more purposeful. To top it off, plaque disclosing tablets come in a huge range of colors, so that you can appeal to your child's taste. If you have a girly-girl on your hands, you can pick up some hot pink or dark purple tablets to match her toothbrush.

2: Download an App

If you have a tough time peeling that gaming console paddle out of your child's hands, they might respond well to a children's dental care app. In addition to providing useful information about brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist, some dental care apps challenge your child to do better. For example, your kid might be able to earn points for brushing daily, or receiving a "no cavities" report during his semi-annual checkup.

3: Provide Incentives

If having healthy teeth isn't enough to prompt your child to brush, consider setting up an incentive program. Offer a small prize or reward for proper dental habits. As you choose rewards, try not to pick items that could damage their progress, such as candies or caramels. Consider offering larger incentives for big dental care milestones, such as not losing a retainer or getting through a dental visit without whining. To keep track of rewards, consider making an online spreadsheet and keeping the password away from your kids. That way, nobody will be tempted to cheat, and you can keep track of each child's progress privately.

If you can make dental care more fun for your children, they might develop good habits that last a lifetime.  For more ideas, ask professionals at places like Southridge Pediatric Dentistry.

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