It’s a new year, and your Woodlands dentist has something you can get excited about if you’re a parent to a little one, particularly toddler age. There’s new research available that found evidence about what tips work best to get your little one to listen when it comes to taking care of their teeth. In 2022, there seems to be some resolution to how parents can get their kiddos to brush when they are just downright resistant.
Persistence Should Pay Off
Forget about getting them to bed on time; sometimes, it’s just a battle to get them to brush their teeth. A new study found that persistence could be the best way to get a child to ultimately do what you want them to and what’s healthiest for them too. Your Woodlands dentist agrees that a bit of praise goes a long way in getting your little one to stay brushing for the right amount of time.
One of the researchers and an assistant professor of psychology at Yale University, Julia Leonard, Ph.D., says that it’s important kids are taught persistence early in life because it has “childhood consequences for many life outcomes, from what children learn to whether they maintain friendships or reach their goals.”
How Does it Work?
The study focused on families that are currently raising three-year-old children and gathered information from at-home footage where researchers were able to look at how parents interact with their children while brushing and how long they spend doing it. They found that positive words of encouragement like “good job” were more beneficial than telling a kiddo how to brush better or that they need to keep going.
It’s important to note that they also looked at factors such as:
- The parent’s stress level
- What kind of mood the child is in
- How much sleep the kiddo is getting
While not super important, these can also affect how long a child brushes. But for other children or families, it might not even matter.
What Can You Do
There’s no one way to do anything in parenting children when it comes down to it. Your dentist in The Woodlands knows that it can be challenging to get them to do what you want, when you want — even with the most well-behaved children. If you have questions about how to care for your child’s smile, you can talk to our Woodlands dentists. They understand what it’s like to raise a family and what it takes to keep everyone happy and their smiles healthy.
Dr. Robert Dernick (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry, and TMJ)
Dr. Mike Freeman (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Alisa Reed (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Laser, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Wade Williams (Orthodontics)
Dr. Nikita Vakil (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry)
Dr. Leslie Blackburn (Pediatric Dentistry)