No, I am NOT talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken!  Instead of poultry I am here to talk about dentistry!  At South By Southwest last week (SXSW for those who prefer acronyms) I was talking with Dad-O-Matic founder Chris Brogan and he mentioned that he was having trouble getting his young son to embrace the concept of brushing his teeth.  I remembered a trick I had used in the past, and frankly, I cannot remember if it is a trick I used with my own children, or with the kids in my bunk as a Camp Counselor.  In any event, I think it is a good tip to make brushing teeth fun, and therefore I herewith share it with you, my dentally challenged Dad-O-Matic readers.

TOOTHBRUSH?  WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ TOOTHBRUSH

If your young child gives you a hard time about regularly using his or her toothbrush and is therefore delinquent in their dental duties I recommend the following: remove the toothbrush from the equation!  Take your kid’s favorite flavored toothpaste and spread it on the tip of their forefinger.  Then encourage them to “brush without the brush,” rubbing their finger all over their teeth, and making a good old mess of their mouth.  It is fun, tasty, and while it is probably not as effective against plaque as the bristles of a brush, it is infinitely better than not brushing at all.  Eventually the fun of the finger will wear off, along with the fear of brushing, and your child will continue the daily dental routine with a proper toothbrush.

Try it and tell me how it goes!  What other creative dental deviations have you tried with your kids to get them to brush and floss on a regular basis?  Please share your own tooth tips in the comments!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 20, Ethan, 18 and Olivia, 17).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab.

Photo Credit © Bogdan Dumitru – Fotolia.com

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