The youth of today learn to skillfully use modern technologies from a very early age. Many three-year-old children swipe through a phone listing or menu on a monitor with ease. Parents may appreciate the technological prowess of their children, but some moms and dads report challenges getting their kids to focus on tasks instead of screens. For instance, children might enter the bathroom with their tablet to brush their teeth, but they exit with unbrushed teeth and a new achievement on their game.
Of course, if a parent can brush their teeth along with their children, it becomes a time for both teaching and bonding. That’s one of the reasons why the Yuba City Dentistry Group encourages parents to brush their teeth along with their kids – to teach them proper techniques and keep an eye on their progress. But parents might not have the schedule to brush their teeth at the same time their kids do. Also, when kids get older than 8 or 9, they probably want to do it by themselves.
To make sure their kids don’t get distracted by technology, some parents insist that their kids do not bring phones, tablets, or games into the bathroom. But this action is restrictive – your child might start to see oral health as a burden instead of a worthwhile routine. How can we find a good balance between oral care and modern technology for children?
Using Technology with Tooth Brushing
Creative individuals have incorporated technology into home dental care. Electric toothbrushes with countdown timers let us know when to move to another quadrant of our mouth or when we have brushed enough. Innovative companies use additional ways to use digital games to help children keep up with tooth brushing.
- Brush Those Teeth – based on characters from Sesame Street, this game acts as a game show. It teaches your child how to brush and what to look for. Their progress gains rewards. The game is meant for younger audiences, so older children might need a different game to help them focus.
- Brush Up – an interactive game that is popular with children as young as 2 or 3, and as old as 12. The game offers a brushing song as well as no ads. Children learn proper techniques while developing the motivation to keep brushing every day. Each night, your child scores points for brushing properly. They can spend the points they earn to unlock in-game prizes. The game is compatible with Apple or Android phones and tablets.
- Kolibree – more than just a game, Kolibree accompanies their specialized toothbrush with a phone app. Their toothbrush tracks how you brush by quadrant, for how long, and with what intensity. The system creates personalized recommendations based on your preferred technique. For kids, they created the first augmented reality toothbrush with interactive games. By brushing their teeth correctly, kids can earn points, badges, and virtual rewards.
You do not need technology to keep your teeth clean and healthy, but these applications and devices can help children to adapt a good oral hygiene routine and focus on their dental care. With proper understanding, training, and encouragement, your children will keep healthy teeth from a young age and into adulthood. Not only that, but the Yuba City Dentistry Group has decades of experience in helping kids develop top-notch skills for their oral health. We’re happy to help your child find ways to brush properly. To set up your child’s next dental health visit, give our office a call, or you use modern technology to schedule an appointment online.
0 Comments