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Why & How to Praise Your Child for Brushing Their Teeth

May 11, 2022

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_donna @ 2:52 pm
Child brushing his teeth

Getting a child to brush their teeth on their own can be difficult. They might whine, procrastinate, throw a tantrum — anything that lets them avoid the chore. What’s a parent supposed to do? Wait around until the urge strikes them?

New scientific research might have an answer: Praise them! More specifically, praise your children for brushing their teeth by themselves. Read on to learn more!

What’s This About Research?

A recent study on this issue was published in the journal Child Development. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and the Santa Fe Institute observed toothbrushing in three-year-olds and how it was affected by parental praise.

The study concluded that children’s tooth brushing improved with praise. The researchers noted that kids brushed their teeth longer while praised by their parents. Although the study only consisted of a small number of children (81), this positive relationship was consistent. Relevant data were collected through surveys and video submissions from the parents.

How to Encourage Your Child’s Brushing

Firstly, you’ll need to let your child take over the toothbrush. Doing so is the only way they’ll learn to brush their teeth effectively. Allowing them to drive the process will help them hone their skills, leading them to adopt better oral hygiene habits as they grow older.

From there, offer the appropriate praise so long as they’re holding the brush. Do this through the following ways:

  • Consider the words you choose:  Use more generic phrases like “good job,” “you’re doing great,” or “very good.” Personal praises like “good boy” or “good girl” don’t need to be frequent.
  • Make eye contact: While words are important, faces are too. Let your child see the positive expressions on your face so they’ll trust your sincerity.
  • Focus more on effort than the actual result: While you want your kids’ teeth clean in the long run, your current goal is for them to develop the tooth brushing practice. Make sure you’re offering more praise than instruction.

The study’s results make intuitive sense. After all, parents often praise their children for behavior that ought to be repeated. That said, shower your child with encouragement the next time they brush their teeth.

About the Author

Dr. Donna Barefield is a practicing pediatric dentist based in Duncanville, TX. A graduate of the Baylor College of Dentistry, she’s been serving the dental needs of Duncanville’s kids for forty years. In that time, she’s bolstered her expertise through membership in the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and similar groups. That knowledge is tempered with her commitment to high-quality, compassionate care for her child patients. Dr. Barefield currently practices at Barefield Pediatric Dentistry and can be reached at her website or by phone at (972)-298-7560.

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