When kids ask, “Why should I brush, they’re only baby teeth!”
OK, let’s all admit it, for one second you thought, well they are going to fall out, and it would make my day easier, and then sanity returned to your over tired brain, and you launch into full parental mode. One big deep breath and you start with, “Well, let me tell you why it’s so important to brush your baby teeth.”
When a five‑year‑olds ask, “Why do I have to brush my teeth if they’re just baby teeth?” They’re looking for a simple, honest answer. Parents can help by explaining why brushing teeth is important for kids in a way that feels reassuring and easy to understand.
Here at the Animal Learning Network, we believe that brushing your teeth is good for you in so many ways. In the Ellie the Elephant story, we learned about what happens when you take good care of your teeth (tusks) and what happens when you don’t. We find that kids learn best from examples they can relate to.
When talking to your child, try beginning with a positive. Like, brushing your teeth helps keep them healthy and strong so you can eat food like (insert your child’s favorite food here). Or how cute their smile is with sparkly clean teeth, giving them more confidence to smile.
Best to share the other side of the coin as well but realize they’re only five, and we want to motivate them to brush their teeth and not terrify them. Explain when they don’t brush their teeth it could lead to cavities which means it could hurt every time they try to eat (favorite food again). Plus, if your baby teeth aren’t healthy then how can they hold a spot for your big teeth? You want your big teeth to come in nice, don’t you?
Kids just want simple reasons why they need to do something. Don’t overcomplicate it. They don’t need all the adult reasons like we do.
Brushing together is a great way to show them that it is important to you and helps children understand why it matters. Then using kid‑friendly language, and praising effort builds confidence. At five years old, children are building independence, and brushing teeth is a daily habit they can practice and learn to believe they can do it.
Mastering brushing their teeth is just another step in their journey into learning how to take good care of their body.