At what age do your kids start brushing their own teeth?
This is another milestone that varies so much, but I'm curious when other kids took responsibility for tooth brushing! I've also heard from at least one dentist that once kids have the developmental ability to write cursive, that's when they're able to effectively brush their own teeth.
What do you think, and when did your kids start brushing alone?
-
My brother is a dentist and has always said, the longer Mom or Dad brush kids teeth, the better off the teeth will be. Kids tend to rush through teeth brushing whereas Mom or Dad are more thorough. That being said, my boys probably started around 6 and my almost 6yo daughter is trying to learn right now. We use the spin brushes which are also supposed to be better at removing plaque. My boys brushes actually have a 2-min timer on them so they have to brush until it goes off.
-
We also use spin brushes and a two minute tooth timer. My oldest started brushing on his own in the morning when he was 6, per my dentist's advice that it was ok, but we still brush his teeth at night! He's definitely not super thorough and has already had a cavity, so I'm not going to stop helping him anytime soon.
-
-
I wasn't in the room for my 2 yo's first and only dentist visit, but whatever they did was magic, because she has been obsessed with getting every corner plus her gums ever since. I still "polish" after she is done, but she's honestly pretty thorough and even reminds me to go over certain areas. Wish I knew what the dentist told her...
-
My son is an observer and has been brushing his own teeth since before his second birthday! He is surprisingly thorough, and doesn't rush at all.
