It’s the age-old question: How do you get your teenagers to do anything?
Cleaning their rooms, doing their homework, being nice to others, looking up from their phones … and brushing their teeth.
You don’t want to pester your kids to brush their teeth every day, but it’s an important habit to learn. Problems like tooth decay, discoloration, gum disease, and bad breath can easily start in the teenage years, so we need to head those off early.
Based on our experience with patients over the years, our team at Portrait Dental has a few suggestions on getting your teens to brush their teeth without nagging.
If your teen is struggling to brush their teeth regularly, paint the whole picture for them. Tell them that not brushing doesn’t just affect their teeth, but their whole body, because infections can travel from the mouth through the bloodstream.
Health alone usually isn’t enough to motivate teens to action. What tends to work is reminding them of the social consequences of not brushing. Their yellow teeth won’t look good in photos, on social media, and when they’re trying to impress a date. Bad breath can sink their social lives even faster. Plus, when their teeth are clean, they’ll feel more confident.
Offer to upgrade their standard toothbrush to an electric one that still cleans well but requires less effort. Some of them even come with a tracking app so they (and you!) can keep track of how the brushing is going.
If they struggle to floss as well, try a water flosser, which is effective and easy to use. You can also encourage them to use an app or timer to make sure they brush long enough. The American Dental Association recommends brushing for approximately two minutes two times a day.
Even teens can be motivated by results and rewards. You can verbally congratulate them when they’re doing well, but tangible rewards are also great. You could take them to lunch if they don’t have any cavities after a dental visit, for example, or give them a small gift card if the app shows they brushed correctly for a month.
If they’re worried about how their teeth look, you could even offer teeth whitening as an incentive after a certain period of time.
Sometimes, not brushing your teeth can be a sign of a bigger issue. If your child has a condition like ADHD or depression, this can make it difficult to stick to a routine. Give them grace and help them through any rough spots, and remember that every teenager is different. Just be sure to communicate with them and talk through any issues that come up.
Now that your teens are brushing their teeth consistently, don’t forget their dental visits for professional cleanings. To schedule your appointment at Portrait Dental, call our office anytime!
