Posted on February 9th, 2011

Unless you’re a dentist, you are probably unaware that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. (Really, it is.) While it may seem like there is a national month for everything nowadays, we think this is an important awareness month to mention. After all, don’t we love our kids’ toothy grins?

For many parents, teeth brushing is a battle of wills. If you are at your wit’s end with the whole battle, try some of these PLAYGROUND approved tips to get your kids into the whole teeth brushing game.

• Make it a family event. Get the whole family together for a brush along. Perhaps junior will get into the act if he sees big bro having a grand time.
• Try a different flavor. (And try something all natural since you know they are going to swallow most of it anyway.) We like Burt’s Bees Natural Toothpaste for Kids in “Berry Bee” without Fluoride.
• A cool brush counts. No kid wants a boring toothbrush, jazz up the action with a toothbrush that lights up. We like FireFly toothbrushes that blink for one minute so your little brusher knows how long to brush.
• Make it fun, sing a song. We like Raffi’s Brush Your Teeth.
• Practice on a baby doll. If your little darling has a favorite dolly, show her how to brush her dolly’s teeth.

We can’t promise your anti-brusher is going to fall in line overnight, but with lots of practice (and patience) by the time the kids are ready for college, they will have it down pat.

To emphasize the importance of good brushing habits, and make those teeth sparkle, schedule regular visits to the dentist. For a list of local kids dentists, check out the PLAYGuide.

To help get you into the groove, we want to giveaway some cool toothbrushes to arm you for battle. For the littlest teeth, we have Tooth Tissues to help you wipe the plaque clean from your little ones first teeth. And for the bigger crowd, we have a trio of FireFly brushes.

For your chance to win, share your top teeth brushing tip below so other parents can gain from your wisdom. Winners will be selected at random and chosen on Friday, February 11. Be sure to tell us if you would like the Tooth Tissues or the trio of FireFly brushes so we know what to send the winners.