Many people have difficulty adhering to a flossing schedule. While dentists generally recommend flossing every day, it can be a struggle to stick to a routine, and some people admit they’d rather spend time scrubbing the bathroom than cleaning between their teeth. However, it is important to develop good dental hygiene habits, including regular flossing, to preserve your long-term oral health. To create a healthy and consistent dental hygiene routine, consider the following tips to make flossing fun for you and your family.
Use a Flossing Chart
Making a flossing chart is an innovative and easy way to ensure that you and your family floss daily. Make a flossing chart and hang it near your bathroom sink to serve as a reminder. A visual flossing schedule can help make oral hygiene fun in the following ways:- Track individual flossing progress using bright markers or fun stickers
- Provide rewards when flossing goals are achieved
- Create a fun flossing tradition that kids and other members of your family will remember
Allow Your Child to Pick Dental Supplies
Flossing with strings can be difficult for children and adults alike. However, since kids are still struggling to grasp the importance of flossing, make it fun for them by allowing them to pick their flossing supplies. For starters, they might not like wrapping strings around their fingers or find it difficult to maneuver strands of floss.
Therefore, an easy way to improve the flossing experience is allowing kids to pick child-friendly floss supplies. For instance, floss sticks are available in several bright colors, shapes, and flavors. Kids can even choose floss sticks featuring their favorite cartoon or superhero characters.
You can also encourage children to use a water flosser to avoid disposable floss and reduce waste. Water flossers are durable and easier to maneuver compared to conventional flossing methods. Kids can also decorate them with decals and stickers to create a more fun, personalized flossing routine
Make Flossing a Family Affair
Your kids won’t develop good dental hygiene if you don’t lead by example. If you want them to floss daily, ensure that you floss together. When an activity is difficult to remember or perform, doing it alongside other people can be fun and motivational. To make flossing a family affair:
- Set a regular time: Developing a habit requires great consistency. Therefore, set aside a specific time for flossing every day. For this to be successful, choose a time when your family is together.
- Provide a wide range of flossing options: Offer various floss options and let everyone choose their preferred floss. This will keep your loved ones excited and engaged about flossing.
- Make it a game: Competition is a great way to breed success. Encourage your family members to compete against each other or time to make this tedious activity into a lively game. Create a scoring system and assign points to determine the winner. You can also introduce a fun song or story to accompany every flossing session.