How to Get Your Kids to Love Flossing

It can be hard getting younger children to understand the importance of flossing. A crucial part of maintaining dental hygiene, flossing can seem like a nuisance without readily apparent benefits. Motivating kids to make time for flossing day in and out is a hassle for all parties involved. Here are some simple ways to make flossing more fun and in turn encourage them to keep up the habit without nagging.

Record Progress

A flossing chart is a fun way to monitor your child’s flossing. While many dentist’s offices will have something like this preprinted, you can always create your own. Mark each day your child flosses and offer a small reward for so many consecutive days. When the rewards of flossing are more definite motivation will come naturally.

Special Tools

Take advantage of the numerous flavors and colors of floss available. Many brands of floss have a separate product marketed towards younger children with packaging that appeals to them. Easier to use “floss picks” cut out the hassle of long strings of floss that younger kids might not feel as comfortable with.

Fun Time

Kids can learn to look forward to flossing if it is genuinely an enjoyable task or associated with things they enjoy. Play a special, fun song that you save for flossing time. If your child has a particular television show they look forward to watching, make the commercial breaks a “flossing break.”

Lead By Example

One of the more lasting ways to get your kids to appreciate flossing, is by demonstrating its importance through your own habits. Make flossing an activity you share together, side by side. Reiterate how flossing is important to you because it keeps teeth strong and healthy.

Give your kids an opportunity to show off their hard work. Bring them in to the always fun pediatric dentistry services at Lifetime Smiles.