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As parents of twins know, dealing with two kids of the same age has its challenges. This includes getting your young twins to care for their teeth. Instilling proper tooth brushing habits is vital to establishing a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums, but if your twins are resistant, you need a plan to make brushing effective and enjoyable. Helping your twins learn how to brush their teeth may be a difficult task, but these tips can help make it easy, efficient and most importantly, fun. Lead by ExampleParents can instill good oral hygiene habits from an early age by modeling proper brushing and flossing at home. You are your child’s best role model, and if you have a positive attitude about oral hygiene, then your kids will be motivated to care for their smiles, too. Brush alongside your kids to demonstrate proper techniques, and praise your children when they brush correctly. Parents will need to assist and supervise brushing until their children are old enough to do it by themselves, usually around 12 years old. Give your Twins Choices If you want your kids to be excited about brushing their teeth, then give them something to be excited about. For starters, let your kids select their toothbrush. Toothbrushes today come in many fun, kid-friendly colors and characters. Toothpastes are also available in a variety of fun flavors to make brushing more enjoyable. Sing a SongThe American Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes, twice a day. For small kids, however, a full two minutes can feel like a long time. To help pass the time, sing a song or turn on your child’s favorite music. Continue singing or listening to the song until your child has brushed all surfaces of his/her teeth. If music isn’t effective, a simple timer may be enough to encourage a full two minutes of brushing. Follow a Reward ChartUsing incentives can be a great motivator to establish good, daily brushing. This may include a reward chart that allows your children to gain a sticker following every successful tooth brushing experience. Once your twins reach their sticker goals, reward them with something they love such as a new toy, a visit to the zoo, or a trip to the ice cream shop. Play a GameTo make brushing exciting, initiate a game, such as a bubble-making contest while your children clean their teeth. Whoever makes the most bubbles in their mouth out of their toothpaste at the end of two minutes is the winner. Children may also enjoy pretending to clean their stuffed animals’ teeth as a fun way to practice brushing.There are also many smartphone apps and games available today to help make brushing for kids interesting, educational and fun. In addition to making teeth brushing at home fun for your twins, there are other ways to prevent cavities and encourage good oral health habits for your children. These include:
- Schedule regular visits for your twins with their dentist. Regular checkups and cleanings are vital for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. When dental visits are started early, children experience less dental anxiety in the future and are more likely to continue good oral health habits as adults.
- Encourage healthy eating at home, and limit sugary and acidic foods that promote decay. Avoid between-meal snacking when possible, as this encourages plaque buildup and cavities.
Parents of twins have double the joys — and double the challenges. Fortunately, tooth brushing doesn’t have to be one of your daily struggles. By modeling proper brushing for your children, incorporating fun and games into your daily tooth brushing regimen, and maintaining regular visits to the dentist, you can help your twins enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.