This fun dental challenge could promote healthier smiles in both you and your children.
When you get ready to brush your teeth, do you actually think about how long you should be brushing? Whether it’s first thing in the 
morning when you’re still groggy from sleep, or the last thing you do at night after a long day, brushing your teeth can often be a neglected daily habit. You may think you are brushing long enough, when in actuality you aren’t giving your teeth the proper cleaning they need. This is why your Kalamazoo dentist Dr. Mark E. Richardson hopes that both you and your family take the 2MIN2X challenge and promote healthier smiles in your household.
What is the 2MIN2X Challenge?
As if the name of the challenge didn’t already give you a hint, the purpose of this program is to ensure that more children brush their teeth often enough and for the proper amount of time needed for a thorough cleaning. This means brushing twice a day for two minutes each time. Effective brushing techniques ensure that your children experience fewer cavities, better breath and avoid serious dental issues.
What You Can Do to Help
There is so much that you as the parent can do to ensure that your child is maintaining good oral health in the home. If your child is under the age of 8 years old, it’s important that you keep a watchful eye over them as they brush their teeth to make sure they are doing a good job. Here are some other things you can do to promote the 2MIN2X challenge in your home:
- Download the brush checklist from the 2MIN2X website. Reward your child when they have completed the checklist successfully at the end of each week.
- Make brushing fun by allowing your little one to choose a toothbrush that has colorful designs and characters on it, as well as fluoridated toothpastes that boast fun flavors.
- Children between the ages of 3-6 years old should use a pea-size amount of toothpaste, while a bit more is preferable for older children.
- Time your child’s brushing sessions to make sure they are brushing for the full two minutes. Make these sessions go by faster by watching these fun and educational videos.
- Always schedule appointments with your Kalamazoo children’s dentist Dr. Richardson every six months to make sure their smiles remain healthy.
Of course, no oral care regime would be complete without routine trips to your Kalamazoo dentist Dr. Richardson. Even with this challenge in place only we can give you that deep professional cleaning your teeth need every six months. Dr. Richardson has a fantastic track record of working with children, and his office is currently accepting new patients. If it’s time for your next cleaning or you are looking for a dentist for your child, call our office today at (269) 343-6907 to schedule your appointment!