If you have a child that is resistant to brushing and flossing, you might be able to spark their interest by making their oral care routine more exciting. By bringing in items and products that are fun for kids and geared towards dental health, taking care of one's teeth won't seem like such a chore. Here are four items you might want to look into in order to bolster your child's oral health care routine.

1. Reward-Based Apps

If your kids love borrowing your smartphone to play games on, install a few apps that track and reward kids for brushing and flossing. This way, they will see their daily oral care routine more as a game or competition. If you can track their progress, you can reward them with small prizes along the way.

2. Cool Flavored Toothpaste

While you might not think grape or bubble gum toothpaste is very appealing, this might just be the push your kids need to keep up on their daily brushing. This can be a great stocking stuffer or you can let them pick out their own flavors at the store. If you are concerned about flavored toothpaste freshness or if this will do as good of a job as traditional toothpaste, run products by your dentist first to get the green light.

3. Toothbrushes Geared Towards Kids

If your child has a toothbrush that appeals to them, this might turn brushing into more of an adventure. You can continually swap out their old brushes for the next new action figure or cartoon character-themed toothbrush your child is into at the moment. Power toothbrushes can also make kids feel more in control of their brushing and they can see this more as a tool than just a boring old brush.

4. Books With Dental Themes

If your child loves story time, a great way to incorporate lessons about their teeth and oral care is through books geared towards the subject. There are plenty of children's books that detail what it's like to go to the dentist, advice on brushing and flossing, and lessons pertaining to oral health. The importance of dental health might finally sink in and help your child get on board with brushing and flossing without a fight.

Your child might not be getting as into their brushing routine because there isn't anything very exciting about this. As a parent, it is up to you to promote productive dental health habits for your child at an early age. If your child can build a good foundation now when it comes to dental hygiene, they will be more likely to keep this up through adulthood and have healthy teeth and gums for years to come. To learn more, contact a dentist like Barry Groder DDS.