How To Convince Someone To Brush Their Teeth
Trying to get someone, especially kids, to brush their teeth should not have to be something that takes much convincing. Unfortunately, oral hygiene does not rank very high on people’s daily “to do” list. As we have mentioned before, not brushing your teeth is a bad habit. Most likely, it is started as a child or bad experience. Sometimes, these bad habits can lead to strains on relationships with those around us. However, it is never too late to change those bad habits to good ones. Below are some tactics that can help you or those around you that you deal with on a daily basis.
Be Informative
Tracking metrics has become the new way to train and keep people knowledgeable. Sometimes keeping the information simple helps explain your point better. For example, take a picture of the person’s teeth and show them what it looks like to those around them. The view of brushing your teeth looks different than the view when someone speaks. Continue to take photos ever so-often as they begin their new brushing habits to track the success.
Here are some metrics that may help fuel the visual evidence. According to the Oral Health Foundation and National Center for Health Statistics:
◦ 66 percent of adults have visible plaque on their teeth
◦ 74 percent of adults have had at least one tooth extracted
◦ 29 percent of adults have regular tooth pain
◦ 17.5 percent of children aged 5-19 years with untreated dental caries
◦ 27.4 percent of adults aged 20-44 years with untreated dental caries
◦ 83 percent of children aged 2-17 with a dental visit in the past year
◦ 62 percent of adults aged 18-64 with a dental visit in the past year
◦ 62.4 percent of adults aged 65 and over with a dental visit in the past year
No one should want to be part of these statistics. With a few simple behavior changes, the person you know does not have to be.
Be Truthful
No one like to deliver bad news, but if you truly care about someone, then you will tell them the truth. In this case, honesty is the best medicine. Change is good and you care about this person’s future and well-being, so there is no reason to think you are doing a bad thing. However, when delivering this news, it is important not to come off as being unkind. Belittling and degrading someone will not have a good response to your message. You want to be sincere and have them recognize your true meaning: the change in their life (and yours) is for the betterment of their health.
This is not easy to bring up to someone, so sometimes expressing your thoughts in a letter or note will help deal with confrontation. Please remember to use the correct choice of words.
Call for Reinforcement
Sometimes people do not listen-it doesn’t matter what you say and how nicely you put it. I would suggest consulting a dentist or dental professional. Having someone else convey the message may resonate better than what you say. Another suggestion is having grandparents or aunts/uncles communicate the news.
If you have to, make an appointment and go with them to visit the dentist. If you suspect that there might be depression or other mental issues at the heart of the dental behavior, you should also consult a therapist to help them work through them.
Few things in life happen “just because” — not brushing may be the result of a traumatic childhood experience or other event that has been suppressed over the years. Getting it into the open will lead to long-term behavior change.
Lead by Example
When dealing with young kids or young adults, it is best to lead by example. Remember, all eyes are on you, so you have to practice what you preach. This means doing all the right things. A rule to live by is: don’t ask someone to do something that you would not do yourself. When others see you creating good habits and having healthy teeth, then they will want to follow in your footsteps.
These issues are never easy to tackle, but a little effort and perseverance now will reap lifelong benefits for you and your loved one.