Bathroom Products, Health

Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for LISTERINE. I received samples for this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

One word that could be used to describe what I have learned from teaching my son the importance of proper dental care is “patience.” Our road to independent dental care has been a roller coaster ride and many nights I was brought to tears by the frustration of my son’s refusal to brush his teeth. Kicking, screaming and all out tantrums just over the sight of a toothbrush in my hand. Through much love, dedication and patience (I may have also thrown a few bribes in there) we are finally in a very good place when it comes to my son’s dental care. I no longer dread the bedtime routine and I actually look forward to our time together before bed.  Now that we have officially tacked brushing teeth tantrum free, I have been slowly introducing flossing and mouth wash to my son. But of course, I also do ensure that we pay regular visits to the Dentist in Manchester for routine dental checks. I recently posted about a great collection of LISTERINE products in my post about encouraging healthy habits. My son has grown very fond of the LISTERINE ULTRACLEAN ACCESS Flosser and I am personally a huge supporter of this product. The LISTERINE ULTRACLEAN ACCESS Flosser allows easy access to all of the teeth for proper flossing and does not cause any pain or discomfort!

Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing #MC

Looking back at everything we went through trying to make brushing my son’s teeth a happy experience, there is much that I would have done differently. With that in mind, I took a much different approach with introducing flossing and mouth wash. Here are a few key suggestions to make this a smooth transition for your child:

  • Don’t force it! My children have taught me, time and time again, that they are much more accepting of doing things when they are asked, not told. Forcing them to floss their teeth will most likely make them resist, just for the simple fact that you told them they have to do it.
  • Show them on yourself first! Show your child how you floss so that they can see it’s not scary or painful. Be silly, have fun, making crazy faces… whatever you do just keep it positive.
  • Let them be independent! I have to admit that this was my biggest fault when it came to brushing my son’s teeth and why he was so resistant. I so badly wanted to be through and make sure he didn’t miss a spot… as a result I was taking away his independence, which is all he really wanted. Just step back, take a breath and trust that your child is capable of doing it on their own, if they want to. Rather than doing it yourself, show them how they can improve and what they can do differently.
  • Tell them how great they are! Let your child know what a fantastic, amazing, super duper awesome job they did flossing their teeth. Be over dramatic, cheer, hop up and down in excitement! Well maybe you don’t have to go that crazy, but just make sure you let your child know what a really great job the did. Children love positive reinforcement and they are going to want to make you that happy every time they floss your teeth.
  • Reward them! If your child needs a little extra incentive when it comes to flossing every night, offer them a reward system to further encourage them.

Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing #MC

The LISTERINE ULTRACLEAN ACCESS Flosser has truly given my son the independence that he wanted when it comes to taking care of his teeth. This is so easy for him to use and his little hands have no problem maneuvering it.

Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing #MC

I am a firm believer that healthy habits start at home and that is why I strive to make sure I instill those in my children from a young age. Making healthy habits fun and apart of our daily routines will make everyone’s lives a whole lot easier. Before I know it my children will grow up into adults that instinctively practice these healthy habits. What are some healthy habits that you and your family practice at home? I would love to hear your stories as well, so make sure to leave a comment down below!

Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing #MC

 If you are interested in discovering more about these great products and purchasing them for your family, visit the LISTERINE website today!

Visit The LISTERINE YouTube page featuring the Healthy Habit Heroes Video Series

America’s Healthiest Heroes: The Negotiators l LISTERINE

“Host Ian Ziering is celebrating people so heroic they go to unbelievable lengths to create healthy habits in their homes. In this episode, we learn that sometimes getting your kids to be healthy can be a negotiation –these parents get clever and creative to keep their families hydrated and eating well.”

3 thoughts on “Teaching Your Child The Importance of Flossing

  1. Growing up, no one ever taught me why flossing was so important. I thought that it was kind of an optional decision to make. Now that I have a family, I can tell that it is actually having a very positive effect on the children’s teeth as they grow in.

  2. When we eat foods then many food plaques in our mouth, if you will not clear them it will cause periodontal disease. This article gives a necessary message about flossing teeth for children also. Every children should floss their teeth from childhood. It will helps him to have a beautiful smile and healthy teeth.

  3. This is great advice for anyone who is having trouble getting their children to brush their teeth. Being an example or telling them the importance can really help them keep their teeth clean!

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