Many kids do not like to brush their teeth, and when they do they go at warp speed. Because oral care is very important, you need to make sure your child is brushing their teeth long enough. The amount of time they need to be brushing is two minutes each day, twice a day. If you are having this problem, below are some tips on keeping that toothbrush in your child's mouth a bit longer.

Use Timers

There are many fun timers you can purchase to help your child brush longer. Choose a timer that is in a fun shape, such as the shape of an animal. Let your child help you set the timer to two minutes.

There are also timers shaped like an hour glass. They are designed in a way that it takes the sand two minutes to fall through. You can find hourglasses that have funny faces painted on them.

Download some apps that are made to help children brush longer. Search through the app store on your smartphone for "dental apps" and you should have a full list come up. These apps will make it fun for them to brush, as they generally sing silly songs and play a funny alarm when it is time to stop.

Say Rhymes and Songs

Find songs that your child likes that are about two minutes long and play the song while they are brushing. You could sing along or turn the music off and sing the song yourself. Find some songs that are specifically for tooth brushing.

There are also rhymes you can say while your child is brushing. Rhymes work well because they are fun and silly.

Perform a Show and Tell

While your child is brushing their teeth, get your toothbrush out and brush your own teeth right along with them. Tell your child to watch you as you are brushing so they can learn to do it properly. Brush in circles and tell them to think of it as the wheels of a truck going around and around. Show them how you brush your top and bottom teeth and the front and back teeth. Ask your child to imitate exactly what you are doing to make it a game for them.

If you are still having problems with your child brushing their teeth long enough, let a dentist talk to them about proper dental care. Hearing from a professional about what will happen to their teeth if they don't brush correctly may give them an incentive to brush longer.