When my son Roger was born, I was ready to put into practice all
the home techniques I’d learned as a student of dentistry. It turned out that things don’t always go as
the textbooks tell us!
We would “brush” his gums with a washcloth to get him used
to the motion with the goal of easier brushing later. And
when he finally got teeth, we brushed first without and then with kid’s
toothpaste.
It was a real
struggle for a while. There was
thrashing and wiggling, stalling and crying, and a lot of general unhappiness
when the time came to brush his teeth.
But eventually we developed a system.
I’d sing a toothbrushing song (ours is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, if you
know that one) and he’d reluctantly let me brush his teeth.
Now, with his 5th birthday in 2 weeks, we’ve
developed a healthy habit. He brushes
his teeth first and I follow. I’ve been
letting him do more and more of the brushing, and I’m doing less and less. I remind him of the places that he missed
just while I’m sitting on the tub watching him.
I can’t say that it’s been easy. And I simply want to remind all you parents
that I know its tough. Sometimes
dentists seem like they are talking to you from high on a mountaintop. Like we know all and you
will
obey! I’ve found what it really it comes
down to is persistence and a commitment to oral hygiene. That matters much more than technique. That matters much more than what brand of
toothpaste or manual verses electric toothbrushes.
Oh and now we are starting again with my 1 year old, Lila!
