15 Nov Top Tips for Teaching Kids to Brush and Floss Like Pros
Learning how to brush and floss is an important life skill. It’s a core self-care habit that sets kids up for a lifetime of good oral health and beautiful smiles. But many parents feel a bit overwhelmed with the process of teaching their kids to brush and floss correctly. Some kids take to it easily, while others have a much harder time.
If your little one is struggling and you’re looking for help, these tips from our dentists are a great place to start.
Teaching Your Kids To Brush And Floss
Young children love learning new things. They’re constantly taking in new information, learning to walk and run and hold conversations and go to the potty. The things they learn now will stick with them for a lifetime. So when kids learn good brushing and flossing habits early, taking care of their teeth becomes second-nature over time.
- Start by introducing brushing to small children around age one or when a child’s first tooth arrives.
- Use child-sized toothbrushes and age-appropriate toothpaste amounts. For the smallest children, you don’t need to use any more toothpaste than the size of a grain of rice.
- Teach kids how to spit out their toothpaste during and after brushing, instead of swallowing it.
- Make brushing and flossing a family event. Parents and caregivers who model consistent oral hygiene habits encourage kids to follow in their footsteps.
- Keep the mood light, and avoid pressuring kids to conform. Praise and encouragement are far more effective, especially over the long term.
- Support good habits by making brushing and flossing enjoyable. Allow your kids to pick out their toothbrushes and toothpaste. Consider using timers, songs, or even apps to make brushing more like play time.
- Motivate your kids to stick with these habits by using sticker charts or small rewards, like an extra 5 minutes of playtime before bed.
How to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth Correctly (and Long Enough)
It can be tough to teach children to brush and floss thoroughly. Sometimes they just chew on the toothbrush. Other times they rush through or simply don’t want to brush at all. The most important thing to remember is that consistency matters.
Brushing together twice a day is the best way to establish good habits. Plus, your teeth are getting clean, too! Kids are natural mimics, and so the more often you demonstrate the correct techniques, the better!
Kids also tend to have pretty short attention spans, which can make brushing for a full two minutes a chore. And honestly, we’re all tempted to rush through our daily tasks from time to time because we’d rather be doing something else.
Try to keep brushing fun. Count-down timers and music can help—if your kid has a favorite song that’s about two minutes long, make it the toothbrushing song. Reading books together or watching videos about brushing your teeth can help as well, especially for toddlers.
Top Flossing and Brushing Tips for Kids
Just in case you need a refresher on basic brushing and flossing for kids, let’s go over the basics:
- Kids should brush twice a day for two minutes each time.
- Use gentle circular movement instead of scrubbing left to right, which can be too rough on their tooth enamel.
- Don’t overlook the gum line and back teeth!
- Kids can start flossing as early as age two or as soon as they have a few teeth that sit right next to each other.
- Some children may find floss picks easier to use than string floss; older kids might prefer a water flosser.
- Supervise younger kids and help them with flossing until they have the manual dexterity to do it themselves.
Family Dentist in Sun Lakes
Encouraging consistency is an important foundation for building good habits, and going to the dentist can help. Regular checkups help keep kids cavity-free, and when their dentist tells them that they’re doing a good job, they feel motivated to keep up the good work.
Our friendly dental practice is a comfortable, judgment-free zone where your family’s dental health needs are fully supported. We’re always happy to teach our smallest patients good brushing and flossing skills. Contact Saba and Chiappetti Dental Associates in Sun Lakes to schedule appointments for your family today.
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash, used with permission under the creative commons license for commercial use 12/20/2025.