Motivating my child - please help

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#1 Post by **Dadio** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:23 pm

My daughter and I had our 5th ortho adjustment on 3/14 and she got a terrible brushing report. They had her go brush because of stuff caught in her braces and she did. She missed most of it, so the tech went and helped her brush. Apparently, she's just hit and miss brushing. The tech read her the riot act and then came and sort of did the same to me with her in the room while I was still in the chair getting 'worked on' or 'over'. We've been through this many times before; in fact, a couple of adjustments ago, the staff said she really needed to brush better.

I've gotten her her own braun timer t/brush, there's a hydrofloss for her to use, and so forth. If anybody else is having the same issue with their child, how did you get them past sloppy brushing?

Heartfelt thanks to anyone that has some ideas they'd like to share.

#2 Post by **pruettmj** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:57 pm

I don't have any advice for you, but you're not alone! I have to constantly encourage both my daughters to brush better, and they don't even have braces at this point (just appliances). The timer does seem to help, but I have to keep reminding them to use it. If they don't brush long enough or well enough, I make them go back and do it over again. Good luck!

#3 Post by **johnnys_angel** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:09 pm

You both sound like the best of parents

Good luck with that brushing!

~JA~

#4 Post by **bbsadmin** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:28 pm

I had awful oral hygiene as a child and paid for it with fillings. Unfortunately, many of them were also in adult teeth and remain to this day.

When I want to motivate my kids about their brushing, I just open my mouth and show them all the "holes in my teeth."

I say to them, "brush and floss or your teeth will look like THIS when you get older!"

They also rinse every night with ACT fluroide rinse (bubblegum flavor). I think that helps a lot.

I am very happy to report that at their last checkup, there was not even one cavity.

My daughter's best friend has braces and her mom tells me that they are having a very hard time getting her to brush and floss well. Sometimes I give her some products I think may motivate her, like some samples of SturdyFloss or anything that I think would make it easier. It's just a matter of motivation. They have to take ownership of it and make it important. Sometimes no matter what you do, they will be lazy about their oral hygiene. As parents, we need to stay on their cases about it (like other important things). It's not fun, but it's our role as parents.

You could always reward her with something she's been wanting, for getting good checkups.

Also, stay in the bathroom and watch her brush and floss. Maybe she just needs to tweak her technique -- maybe she doesn't realize she isn't doing things correctly.

#5 Post by **jaswi** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:47 pm

I didn't have the best brushing habits as a kid myself. Thankfully I've only had one cavity, behind my top left canine, and thats only possible because of how it is positioned. For my lack of cavities I thank my parents who had the presence of mind to get me sealant on all of my molars. I'd suggest anyone with kids consider getting their childrens teeth sealants. They're basically just some cement that fills the big gorge in your molars and doesn't allow food to get stuck in there too deep for a brush to get. Completely painless, and though it tastes bad for the first day or so you can't feel it unless you lick it with your tongue and notice the biting surface is smooth and not rough. A good dentist is a must for doing them too, a bad one ends up with bubbled sealants that crack and break off.

#6 Post by **babymetalmouth** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:48 pm

I know this post is old but I just though id add for anyone wondering...
Ive only just started bruhing my teeth properly since getting braces, before that I NEVER brused my teeth, I just sprayed my mouth with spray to get rid of bad breath... I started before I was 16 thank god and started brushing twice a day with my expander.

If I was you I would bribe your kids.... I know its hard work and annoying but its the only way!! Say to them you will buy them something or let them do something and say if they make sure every adjustment and check up is good and clean then they get rewarded and if they have bad check ups they get something taken away!

Like take away some toys or dont let them watch tv.. Also try and get them flavoured toothpaste and tell them its theirs and if they dont use it they will ahve it taken away, and say to them that they wont get pudding after dinner tomoz unles they floss

Just a few suggestions, bribery is the key to a kids heart!!!!!!!!!

Website · #7 Post by **alexa** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:55 pm

Just a few suggestions, bribery is the key to a kids heart!!!!!!!!!

No offense, but I think it's also the key to raising a spoiled brat who only does things if they can see what they can get for doing it. You want to teach your children to do things because it's the right thing to do.

If I had a child who was as bad at oral hygeine as I was as a kid, I would sit them down and explain to them why they should brush their teeth, why they should floss their teeth and why they should care. I would sit them down over and over again if I had to. I would tell them about my own experiences...the cavities, braces and thousands of dollars out of my own pocket. No yelling, screaming, punishment...just open communication. I resented being yelled at as a kid...it made me want to do the exact opposite of whatever I was asked to do, even if the result was hurting myself.

I will say that while I probably would've enjoyed being bribed more than being yelled at, at least this way I don't expect things in return for simply doing what needs to be done.

Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:55 am

In my goody bag from my ortho, they included this laminated cardboard thing with suction cup on it. On it, one side it shows how to floss and brush properly with braces; on the other side, it shows two pictures after debracing: one set of teeth with proper dental hygiene, the other one is nasty without regular brushing and flossing. I stick it on my bathroom mirror and it motivates me to brush four times a day and floss once a day. It especially helped at the beginning, when it took me 20 minutes just to floss.

Maybe reserve 10 minutes each night just to supervise (stand next to her and watch) your daughter clean her teeth? Tell her that you'll do this until the ortho says her oral hygiene has improved. If she's a teenager or preteen (I assume?), she'll say, "That's not fair!" or "I can't believe you are embarrasing me again!" Maybe tell her, "Well if I don't do this, it'll cost me extra $3000 at your next dental appointment."

#9 Post by **Gennel** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:12 am

I HIGHLY recommend to get a Waterpik. This takes out sooooo much of the food that gets caught in the brackets,ligs,powerchains and in between teeth. I have one and it works wonders. My hygeniest told me I really should get it so my daughter can use it since most kids in braces really don't do a great job at brushing. I make sure she brushes at least 3 times a day and flosses everyday. She does apretty good job now after hearing me telling her a zillion times in 3 months.

Gennel

#10 Post by **erik** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:23 am

Well, my daughters gums have swollen up to and around some of her brackets! Pressing her on the issue, she owned up to not really brushing and never flossing...

Since I am in braces now and much more aware of what should or should not be going on... We took her to the dentist to check out the gums to make sure there was no infection, and there wasn't, just bad hygiene.

So, I have been leading by example... We are now brushing buddies in the evening! I bring all my tooth junk down to the kids bathroom and we both brush, clean our brackets (xmas tree brush), floss, and rinse with mouthwash at the same time. No excuses, no overlord looking over the shoulder, just two brace faces dealing with the complexities of oral hygiene.

She still tries to shorten the time, get away with things, but really can't when I have the same problems to deal with (and I don't cheat).

I am not sure how long we will keep brushing together, but it seems to be working for now...

Erik

#11 Post by **Sbebs** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:45 pm

I think getting fun toothpaste or toothbrushes would help out with getting your child to brush. Or maybe putting a radio in the bathroom and having them brush for the length of one song?

Parental example is also very influencial. I think if she continues to participate in good oral hygiene with you, she will be much more likely to do it on her own.

Keep up the good work!

#12 Post by **smileygirly** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:10 pm

I am not a parent yet, but I would brib your daughter. My mom made a chart for me, and if I brushed well at least twice daily for a month, I could pick out a small treat or toy. I also agree about toothbrushes and stuff. There is a plaque detecting rinse made by listerine which dyes the plaque blue. This aids in brushing for kids and adults! I use it, and my brushing has become considerably better:) If your daughter likes disney, they make diney toothbrushes and paste! Tell her about how they have to drill holes in her teeth and give her novacaine shots if she gets a cavity. I strated brushing better in the fear of cavaties! Well, I wish you the very best!

#13 Post by **dimeech** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:52 pm

I agree with erik and the others who say to brush WITH them & setting a good example... a small token gift for good checkups sounds OK to me, though. I say save the bribing for when you REALLY need it!

My parents were NOT "into" oral hygiene like I am now at 31, but how I wish, wish, WISH they brushed with me when I was a kid. They would've been better off, too. I have had numerous fillings, and four RC's all since the age of 20 that I had to pay for. Not pleasant!

#14 Post by **Jennine** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:59 pm

Being that teeth are related to health and a parents responsibility is to make sure they do whatever they can to protect the childs heath....

if my child wasnt brushing, Id do whatever i had to do to get the point across

rent movies on bacteria and how they live in the mouth and multiply and how they are germs just like the little creatures that give you a cold and an upset tummy.

show them pictures of people with no teeth, and tell them stoiries of surgerys, and let them talk to people who have suffored with tmj, root canals and fillings.

But a bunch of toothpastes and do a taste test... try natural as well
even try organic and even try baking soda as an option because something is better than nothing, and maybe they just dont like the taste of fluroide, maybe they are sensitive to it

Tell them thier breath will smell and other kids wont want to be thier friend

give them a teeth cleaning neurosis if you have to... thats what I'd do... however if that didnt work...

Id stand there and force them

its simply not an option... teeth are health..

tough love

#15 Post by **HeyTeach** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:45 pm

My kids got better at oral hygiene when we became brushing buddies. Looking back on it now, I should have gotten braces with them not after them, but I became vigilant so that they would follow suit. It worked eventually. (their mother was not amused by my "childish" tactics, but I believe that the family that cooks together eats together studies together cleans together goes places together is a fully functional family.)