Wednesday, 24 November 2010
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Hairy Teeth
I've decided, that, barring potty-training, teaching your kids to brush their teeth has got to be the single-most difficult task that a parent will ever have to face. Granted, I haven't encountered every single parenting task under the sun, but from where I stand right now, "daunting" does not cover the magnitude of this one.
I would venture to say that if someone could flawlessly execute the task of getting children to independently and regularly brush their teeth, they should be crowned royalty. In order to receive this honor, however, it should be done with no overt or covert harm done to the child's physical or emotional well-being.
I don't discount the value of bribery in this case. I, myself, used it quite effectively for potty training, against the advice of the all-knowing parenting magazines.
But, if anyone has the magic formula, I would have loved to have seen it 16 years ago. After putting all three through paletal expanders, spacers, braces, retainers and braces again and then retainers again, I feel like I should be some kind of an expert.
Quite the contrary! I feel a growing sensation of hopelessness and failure as a pseudo-dentist. My 13-year-old STILL flashes me a hairy yellow grin more often than I'd like to admit (or see!).
Child number 3 is lounging on the sofa watching the Disney Channel before school. "Are you ready for school?" "Yes, mom." (flashes yellow hairy dragon-breath smile that is supposed to be white and cute) I cringe. "Then why are your teeth growing things? Did you brush your teeth?" "Not yet." "Then please explain to me HOW you are ready for school."
I'm often reminded of the Crest White Strips commercial from several years back where the kindergarten teacher has her students gathered in a circle on the floor. They're playing the color guessing game. She smiles and points to her teeth (hint: answer is supposed to be white). All around the room we hear shouts of beige! Off-white! Ecru! Mother-of-pearl! It reminds me of that, except 10 times worse!
I've even employed the method of sicking our bully-dontist on their case. A small filipino woman, this orthodontist is much meaner than she looks. She would regularly send my kids back to the sink to re-brush and then brush them herself if she still wasn't satisfied after ten tries.
At times, I heard whimpering coming from behind the partitions and I shrunk down in my seat pretending to read a very important magazine at the end of each appointment to avoid the inevitable bully-dontist to mom lecture (which, for the record, didn't work). Instead I got a dose of inadequacy. Sigh.
Yes, I've tried reward systems, encouragement, education and punishment...did I mention bribery?
So the question remains, what IS the secret?! What's your secret for getting your kids to brush their teeth?
Is it too late for mine? Are they a lost cause?
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About the Author
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- From: chelleannette@xanga
- About Me: I'm an almost 40 mother of three teenagers, two crazy fat dogs and one husband. I live in and love New York City. In the last five years or so I've taken up French, shooting for eventual fluency and possibly picking up one day with the man after the kids are gone and moving it all to France. I also learned how to play tennis in the last few years and have, consequently become obsessed with the sport and acquired the delusion of playing on the WTA seniors tour or in a grand slam (Watch out Serena!) Living passionately, I want to see, smell, taste and feel the world through relationships, travel, food and whatever else life throws at me. Still waiting to discover what I want to be when I grow up!
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Comments (24)
lol beige.
My mom had lovely teeth and I wanted to be like her when I was younger, so I'd brush and brush. I thought other kids had ugly smiles.Mine are 2 & 4... they would brush their teeth 10 times a day if there was time. I realllly hope they don't grow out of that.
My daughter is 2 and she still happily wants to copy whatever we do. She looks at brushing her teeth as fun. She'd walk around with a toothbrush and continue brushing, during the day, If she could... and she has a few times. I still find potty training the battle, lol. At first, she was all excited to copy us that way, too. But then, she pooped and scared herself, lol. Now, she still won't sit on the thing. Ugh.
My two year old also loves brushing his teeth. it's me I need to train - to remember that it's supposed to be part of his bedtime routine.
@Brilliant_Innocence@xanga - lol How did she scare herself?
What if you explained that the yellow crust isn't suppose to be there, that it causes bad breath and their friends won't want to hear their secrets because of their hygiene. Spongebob belongs in the sea and not as your teeth!
@a12906@xanga - Lol, I don't know. I think she was just shocked to see what came out of her. She was sitting on the potty and pooped and as soon as she looked in and saw it, she started crying hysterically. I tried telling her it was normal and we all do it, but... that didn't work. She pooped in the bath tub a few times and had the same reaction. Crying hysterically and trying to get out, lol.
Parents should be taught the proper way of brushing to their children.
It is good to take an early care for preventing of any kind dental
diseases in later stage.
I am a dental student, but unfortunately i haven't got onto paediatrics yet, so i don't have much clinical advice for you.
I suppose the advice i can give from childhood is that my parents brushed my teeth for me, twice a day, until i was about 7. Then for another year or so they just kept an eye on me when I was doing it, so that they could check I was doing it, but also letting me get on with it. Eventually they just left me to it, and by that point I was already in the routine of doing it, so I just did it.
I know that method can be time consuming, especially when you need to do other things, but it is only 2 minutes twice a day and it pays off in the long run.
@Sam - That sounds like a good idea (in hindsight). Oh, the mistakes we make when our kids our young because life is just that crazy! And, oh the years I'll be paying for it!
I definitely make comments about dragon breath and the fact that other people really don't appreciate it! It has had a small impact, but in the long rung, I wish I was more diligent about making it a non-negotiable when they were young.
@Brilliant_Innocence@xanga - Maybe if she sees other people crap she will get over her fear? It's snake-shaped, lurks in the water (or it least it should), and sneaks up behind you. I'd be freaked out too.
My mother used to tell me that my breath smelled like ass, or worse than the dog's. Then I'd get self-conscious and at least gargle mouthwash.
@Sam - Thats how my parents did it too. They brushed my teeth until I was about 6 or 7 and then monitored and encouraged me to brush my teeth and assured I did it twice if not three times a day.
@chelleannette@xanga -
You could still do something similar. I would have been mortified as a teenager if my parent tried brushing my teeth or irritated if they hovered over me. I'd stand at the bathroom door with them watching them brush their teeth to assure they are complete.
Good hygiene is apart of being an adult, if they want to act like a child, you shall treat them as such.
I don't know if this can be applied to teenagers, but when I was teaching the kids I nannied (is that a word? Well it is now.) to brush their teeth and use the potty I made a "good job" chart where every time they brushed their teeth and/or used the potty and washed their hands afterwards they would get a sticker to put on their chart. At the end of the week if they had more than say 10 stickers they would get a special prize. Maybe ice cream for desert or a small toy from the dollar store. The kids are now 6 and (twins) 5. They love to brush their teeth and their mom never has to ask them to go to the bathroom. They stop what they are doing and walk to the bathroom or ask for help when needed.
When I was a teenager I hated brushing my teeth. I don't know what it is about it, but I think it's a phase that every kid goes through because I am now a nanny to two boys ages 7 and 10 and the 10 year-old acts like I'm asking him to put a stick of butter in his mouth or something. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to fix this problem, but right now pulling him back into the bathroom and brushing his teeth for him like I would for a baby seems to be encouraging him to do it on his own.
i have no idea.. just think about when you were a kid, did you want to brush your teath? if not then ask yourself why.. then find a solution like making it fun.. for example, have you heard of tooth tunes? they play music when your kids brush.. they will think it's cool and then brush more often.. it may be expensive but it cost less then braces..
They say when you force something into practice for a straight month, it becomes habit. Brush your teeth with them, if you can. If not, stand in the doorway & make sure they brush their teeth twice a day. Soon it will become habit & you won't have to watch them.
Have you tried different flavors of toothpaste? My little brother hated brushing his teeth because he didn't like the minty flavor, but he loves the orange/lemon kind :)
My parents brushed my teeth for me for a very long time. I don't remember ever having any trouble with brushing my teeth. I think it was because my parents had a few gold teeth and I was scared of getting some like them :p. I don't know what the best way of teaching your kids to brush their teeth. My parents pulled the scare tactic a lot and told me that if I didn't brush my teeth they'd fall out and I'd look creepy. They also would tell me when my breath smelled and when my teeth needed some extra loving so I ended up just getting self conscious and now I go crazy on my teeth :)
By 5 I was brushing my teeth very well, every morning and every night. I didn't have a problem with it. I knew it was the rule so I did it.
Show them videos and pictures of decayed, rotting teeth.
My kids LOVE to brush their teeth which makes me happy, I'm the bad one who forgets to remind them:/
And no I don't think it's too late.@Sam - I brush my kids teeth and then let them brush, so I get the good cleaning done, but they are learning
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When I was little the dentist gave me those tablets that turned my teeth purple and I had to brush until the purple was gone. I loved those. When my little brother was just getting started brushing his teeth I would have him brush at the same time I did and that always worked.