Q: "My daughter is refusing to brush her teeth, or just brushes quickly. How do I get her to brush properly without constantly watching her?"
A: Dentist Dr Henry Clover says: "Brushing effectively is a skill that with plenty of tuition and practice, your child will soon learn to do independently.
"Brush your teeth with your daughter to show her what to do and help her overcome common mistakes like brushing too fast or too hard.
"Brushing for two minutes can feel like a long time and it's common for children to rush. To help her brush for the recommended duration, encourage her to brush along to her favourite song. Some teeth can be hard to reach, so try encouraging her to roar like a lion and open her mouth wide when brushing.
"Much like adults, children can sometimes find brushing a chore. Help them enjoy brushing their teeth by equipping them with a fun toothbrush and toothpaste that they like the flavour of. Remember, children will need to use age-appropriate toothpaste that shouldn't be rinsed off, as this can wash away the protective fluoride.
"A great way to measure how much progress your children have made in learning to care for their teeth is to encourage them to record their tooth brushing on a chart. Not only does this make brushing fun, it also helps children to build brushing their teeth into their daily routine. If you're still struggling, Denplan's Little Book of Healthy Smiles has tips to help keep tooth brushing interesting."
:: The Little Book of Healthy Smiles can be downloaded from www.denplan.co.uk/my-teeth/childrens-teeth/big-summer-brush-up-patients.
