UPDATE: Winner is Laura Whitener Caputo! Congratulations Laura!

Enter to win a FREE Sonicare for Kids! To enter to win, “LIKE” Dr. Steven G. Berwitz DMD’s Facebook page here and share your trick for making tooth brushing fun! Deadline to enter to win is May 6. We’ll pick a winner at random & announce the winner on SouthernMamas Facebook page.

The efficient Sonicare for Kids toothbrush includes a timer that allows them to brush on their own, without us parents to have to nag – yet it reminds them how long they should be brushing. Plus, Sonicare means that it’s made to brush effectively, reaching each angle and surface.

Guest post by Savannah dentist Steven G. Berwitz, DMD

“Not only am I a dentist, but I am also the dad of a high-energy three-year old. Just like you, I’ve learned that I need to do things a certain way if I want my son to do what I want him to do. When you’re little, it just takes a little extra to make a boring task more exciting—and sometimes it takes a little persuasion to show that boring chores can be fun! Brushing teeth is one of those chores that parents ask me about all of the time. Daily I get the question “What is the trick to getting my kid to brush???”

Win a Sonicare for Kids from Savannah dentist Dr. Steven G. Berwitz DMD

As a family dentist who sees kids of all ages in my office on a daily basis, I can tell you about a few tips and tricks I use both at home and in my chair to deal with the ever so important task of brushing teeth.

1. Foam Wars! This is a favorite of little kids who love MESS! My 3 year old is a big fan of this game. Grab mom, dad, brother and sister, your favorite tooth brush, age-appropriate tooth paste and start brushing. The longer you brush the more foam there is! Make sure your kid is hitting all surfaces—back teeth, front teeth, top and bottom—showing them how a circular motion with the brush creates more foam. The winner with the most foam gets to stay up an extra 5 minutes, a sticker, or any other reward that your child will think is awesome.

2. Teddy Bear Dentist: My son loves to pretend he is a doctor with his stuffed animals—bandaging them up, checking their heart beat, taking their temperature–so we started to use this same method with brushing teeth. He knows that Daddy is a “tooth doctor” and at night before bed we set-up the Teddy Bear Tooth Doctor Office. One by one he brushes their teeth with a spare tooth brush, telling them to swish, spit and dry their mouth. When one of the bears is “scared” to brush his teeth, we ask our son to show the bear how it is done—this is when we jump into action. We have our son show the bear that it’s not scary to brush tops, bottoms, backs and sides. It can be a long pre-bedtime routine, but it does make it fun!

3. Get the bugs! Your kids have probably heard about cavities, but they may not fully understand how they get them or what they are. After my son eats a sugary treat, I tell him that there are little bugs on his teeth that we need to catch so that they don’t snack on the sugar on his teeth. We make it into a “chase game” where I need to catch the bugs with his tooth brush to get them off. After we have caught all of the bugs we let him swish and spit, which he thinks is a blast.

No matter how you tackle tooth brushing, don’t assume that it’ll be easy — and don’t expect perfection. Most toddlers are not cooperative about getting their teeth brushed and some older kids just will not do it without constantly being reminded. For younger kids, be sure to match their tooth-cleaning attempts with thorough cleaning of your own, and for kids of all ages, introduce them to a dentist at a young age so they are comfortable in the chair and know the importance of oral hygiene.

Dr. Berwitz is a Savannah-area dentist who is here to meet the dental needs of you and your entire family. He sees patients of all ages and welcomes you to make an appointment with him today by calling 912-355-5004 or visiting his web site at www.stevenberwitzdmd.com .

Steven G. Berwitz, DMD, 7805 Waters Ave., Suite 1A. For more information or to make an appointment, call (912) 355-5004. Visit the Dr. Steven Berwitz Website www.stevenberwitzdmd.com/ or email Dr. Berwitz with any questions at rebecca@stevenberwitzdmd.com

This entry was posted on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 5:15 pm and is filed under Deals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.