How Many 12 Year Olds Would get an "F" as Far as Brushing Their Teeth Goes?
My child for years has been "scolded" (not really) by the dental hygienist for doing — not just a bad job —- but an outright terrible job at brushing her teeth.
My daughter is now 12 years old. And, she has braces. The orthodontist assistants are "all over her case" every time that she goes to the office.
Do other parents have these problems with getting kids that age to brush well?
I feel almost helpless short of getting a prison guard to brush her teeth for her. I am always on here case — seemingly to no avail.
If she is going military do not worry about it. Chem attacks happen and I lost my teeth due to chem attack in Darfur, Sudan.
If she is not going military get her an electric toothbrush. It is easier to use than a manual and get teeth whiter and cleaner. Since majority of people do not have the eye hand motor skills to brush teeth.
when i was a kid, i wasn’t an avid brusher. my mom told me i should always brush, but never stuck to enforcing it.
i had to get a root canal at 17, which was scary and a bit painful. as i grew into my older teenagers, like 16+ i took better care of my teeth, because i knew it was good for me.
sometimes kids just have to WANT to do it, to actually stick to it.
it takes 21 days to make something into a habit. maybe for 21 days straight, escort your daughter in the bathroom and brush with her. make it seem less like a chore, and more like something natural.
you can also scare her a little lol, and show her pictures online of people who don’t brush their teeth, and what happens when they get older. a little harsh motivation like that couldn’t hurt!
good luck
References :
I agree with girl’s post above but would like to add that the concern that works with alot of kids in braces is to tell them that the plaque they leave by not brushing not only can cause a gum infection but can permanently strip there teeth leaving a white band where they are missing brushing. When the braces come off it will leave a two tone color that is permanent.
References :
depends on the kid i just got my braces of like 6 hrs ago (yayy mee!!) but if she is too lazy to brush ger her a water pick she wouldnt have to brush as much and it would clean it better. my mom never told me to brush i just did it. owwand tell her if she dosent brush her teeth will be like brown-yellow around the gum and she’ll have holes in her teeth. ooo and if u dont brush ur teeth it can drasticlly harm ur heath btw.
References :
im 12!
As a dental hygienist in orthodontic practice, I would say that about 1 in 5 12 yr olds is not a good brusher. But about 1 in 10 is a poor brusher. However, it is more critical if the bad brusher is a girl of this age and especially in braces. At this age, girls have more acid in their system due to hormonal changes and it is much easier to get decay, especially in their front teeth. I have seen young girls end up with decay in all 12 front teeth during this period. It takes plaque, acid and sugar to create decay. If she is not taking care of her teeth and not watching her diet, she is a candidate for problems.
I hope your daughter will hear this answer because it is really a serious issue. If she is not going to take care of them with braces on, she shouldn’t have the braces. It will do more of a disservice to her if she ends up with a mouthful of cavities than having crooked teeth.
Brushing, flossing and using a fluoride rinse are truly necessary for this to be a successful process. The reason she is being lectured each time is because it really is a serious issue.
References :
http://au.health.yahoo.com/041101/25/1uhw.html
If she is going military do not worry about it. Chem attacks happen and I lost my teeth due to chem attack in Darfur, Sudan.
If she is not going military get her an electric toothbrush. It is easier to use than a manual and get teeth whiter and cleaner. Since majority of people do not have the eye hand motor skills to brush teeth.
References :