How to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth: Toothbrushing Tips with Dr. Robert Geiman
If you’ve ever wrestled a toothbrush into your toddler’s mouth or argued with your six-year-old about whether “ten seconds counts as brushing,” you know that toothbrushing can quickly become one of the most exhausting daily battles.
Parents constantly ask me how to get your kids to brush their teeth without tears, fights, or endless bribes.
The truth? Even dentists struggle when it comes to toothbrushing for toddlers and young kids. That’s why I brought orthodontist and dad Dr. Robert Geiman onto the Educated Parent podcast. In our conversation, he shared three powerful but practical toothbrushing tips that can transform the nightly grind into a healthier, more cooperative routine.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why Toothbrushing Feels So Hard
Before we get into the strategies, it helps to acknowledge why brushing is such a challenge. Toddlers and young kids don’t have the coordination to brush effectively on their own. Parents are often exhausted at the end of the day and wonder at what age should a child brush their own teeth without help. On top of that, many kids hate the taste of toothpaste, resist standing still, and love to push back on routines.
If you’re nodding your head right now - you’re not alone. The good news is, there are simple ways to make brushing more effective and less stressful.
Tip 1: Put the Time In
We’ve all heard the “two minutes, twice a day” rule. But Dr. Geiman points out that quality matters just as much as quantity. Young kids may not last two full minutes, and that’s okay - as long as they’re brushing well.
Putting the time in means:
Standing with your child while they brush
Checking their technique
Helping them cover every surface of every tooth
If you’re wondering how to get your kids to brush their teeth without rushing, try setting a timer, playing a favorite song, or brushing alongside them. When brushing is a shared experience, kids are more likely to stick with it.
For parents, this also answers the question of at what age should a child brush their own teeth. Even if your six-year-old insists on independence, most kids need active supervision and occasional help brushing until around age 8.
Tip 2: Education and Empowerment
Kids don’t like being told they’re “doing it wrong.” What they love is learning and feeling capable. That’s why one of the most effective toothbrushing tips is to educate and empower them.
Tools like disclosing tablets - which temporarily color plaque so kids can see what they missed - are game changers. Instead of you nagging them, the evidence is right there in the mirror.
This approach works especially well with toothbrushing for toddlers and early elementary kids. Let them practice, cheer for their progress, and gently show them how to improve. You’ll be building both skills and confidence.
And yes, you’ll still want to occasionally step in and brush for them. Even Dr. Geiman admits that he brushes his kids’ teeth once a week - because kids can “pass” a quick glance but still miss spots.
Tip 3: Make It Fun
Let’s be honest: brushing teeth is not the most exciting part of a kid’s day. That’s why the third strategy is to make it more fun.
Fun doesn’t mean silly every single time - it means creating small moments of choice and joy:
Let your child pick out a toothbrush with their favorite character
Try funky toothpaste flavors (bubblegum, dragon fruit, even “mermaid popsicle”)
Use colorful flossers instead of plain dental floss
Turn brushing into a family challenge - who can brush while standing on one leg?
When parents ask me how to get your kids to brush their teeth without resistance, this is often the missing piece. A little playfulness goes a long way.
Common Parent Questions
At what age should a child brush their own teeth?
Most kids aren’t ready to brush completely independently until around 7 or 8 years old. Until then, parents should supervise and spot-check, even if the child is doing most of the work.
What about electric toothbrushes?
Electric brushes can be helpful, especially if your child struggles with dexterity. But no tool replaces time and supervision. Whether manual or electric, the key is consistent practice and good technique.
Do I need to brush in the morning and at night?
Yes. Nighttime brushing is especially important, since bacteria and sugars sit on teeth overnight. But don’t skip the morning - kids need that fresh start too.
Bringing It All Together
Parenting is full of daily battles, and toothbrushing doesn’t have to be one of them. By putting the time in, empowering your kids, and adding some fun, you can create a routine that works. These simple but powerful toothbrushing tips will help you feel confident that your kids’ smiles are protected - without constant stress.
If you’ve been wondering at what age should a child brush their own teeth or searching endlessly for solutions on toothbrushing for toddlers, this episode will give you both the reassurance and the practical tools you need.
So next time you’re standing in the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, remember: you don’t have to fight this battle. You can guide it.
👉 Want the full conversation with Dr. Robert Geiman? Listen to the episode here:
How to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth: Toothbrushing Tips with Dr. Robert Geiman
And if you’re looking for more support in raising resilient, emotionally healthy kids, contact us at Thriving Child Center and PCIT Experts.
Let’s connect:
Love having expert tips you can actually use? Join our newsletter and get a beautifully designed PDF of each episode’s top 3 takeaways—delivered straight to your inbox every week.
Are you a provider? Subscribe here for professional insights and parenting resources!
Connect with Dr. Robert Geiman:
-
[00:00:00] Leah Clionsky: Welcome to the Educated Parent podcast. I am your host, Dr. Leah Clionsky, and I'm so excited to, for us to talk today and answer one of your pressing questions. And this is a question I have constantly, and the question is. How seriously do I have to take toothbrushing with my kids as a parent who is not a dentist?
[00:00:24] Leah Clionsky: How will I know if we're doing well enough or if we need to do more? And that's why I'm so excited about the guest I brought on today. I have Dr. Robert Bobby Guyman, a diplomat of the American Board of Orthodontics, and he is full-time and private practice in the Connecticut shoreline. He's also an attending at Yale New Haven Hospital, where he teaches residents on a variety of topics, including facial growth and development, orthodontic diagnosis, and orthodontic treatment planning.
[00:00:54] Leah Clionsky: Dr. Geiman received his dental training at Columbia University where he completed a dual degree program. He went on to further his education at the University of Maryland's Orthodontic Program. He's also the author of the book, the Tooth Bible. A Parent's Guide to Their Child's Smile. If he's not doing something related to teeth, you can catch him playing tennis, skiing, birdwatching, or spending time with his family.
[00:01:18] Leah Clionsky: Dr. Geiman, I'm so glad that you're on the podcast today.
[00:01:21] Robert Geiman: Thanks so much for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.
[00:01:24] Leah Clionsky: Oh yes, because knowing how much to enforce rules about toothbrushing is so hard. As a parent, I feel like it's so easy to go one way or the other. Either we're like militant about it, like you must brush your teeth for two minutes, or we've kind of given up because the fight is so hard sometimes.
[00:01:42] Leah Clionsky: So I'm so glad you're here and I can just ask you a million questions.
[00:01:45] Robert Geiman: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. We got, let's answer all our questions today.
[00:01:49] Leah Clionsky: Well, I know that you are a parent as well. Can you talk a little bit about what it's like for you to be a dentist and also a dad and how you handle toothbrushing with your own kids?
[00:02:01] Robert Geiman: Sure. So before I was a parent, I was a dentist, so it was really, um, I would give the normal oral hygiene instructions brush for two minutes, all the things to my pediatric patients. And then I had my own kids. And then maybe my instructions changed a little bit because I realized how hard it was from the baby stage and all the way up now that I had, I have 8-year-old twins, boy, girl.
[00:02:23] Robert Geiman: And, um, it is a process and the process changes with the age and the process has to change with the type of kid you have too, right? Um, different kids are gonna create different challenges and uh, you gotta adapt. So for. One of my kids, for example, they have a really big mouth. I have twins, but they're fraternal, right?
[00:02:45] Robert Geiman: So they have very different faces, uh, and different mouths. One kid's got a big mouth. It's super easy to get in there. Uh, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush cheeks kind of go nice and wide. And the other kids got a little bit of a smaller mouth. So it takes a lot more work for me to actually brush one kid's teeth than the other kid's teeth.
[00:03:01] Robert Geiman: And when teaching them how to brush over the years, well, I gotta give one a little bit more attention because one is actually needs more time. Um, in the beginning stages, um, you know, you're have different goals, right? You're kind of teaching technique and you're kind of brushing for them, uh, slash teaching, and then at some point you have to let them do it, right?
[00:03:21] Robert Geiman: Because our goal as parents or dentists and both is to give our kids the tools to succeed, uh, in life, right? But I'm talking about dentistry in particular here.
[00:03:30] Leah Clionsky: Yeah, that's one of those funny things that you just mentioned where it's so easy to be like, this is the standard advice, right? I'm gonna give this as a doctor or as a clinician. And then you have your own children and you're like, oh, like we also live in the real world, right? Where like parents are having a nightly battle sometimes with their kids around oral hygiene.
[00:03:51] Leah Clionsky: And they're just like, how much do I pay even attention to this? Is this worth it? You know, do I just let them do what they are doing? Do I jump in and, and have the fight? I just think it's so funny to, to be in the parent role and also in the, in the clinician role in all of those situations.
[00:04:09] Robert Geiman: Well, even another thing as a, as a orthodontist, my patients are usually laying right, so I have really easy access, uh, to their mouth. I have a light above them, shining right into the mouth. I can see everything. At home, my kid's standing up, I'm like, you know, hunched over, you know, trying to like, get in there.
[00:04:26] Robert Geiman: They're moving around, not standing still. So, yeah, it's, it's a little bit of a workout and a stretch. Uh, and I, and as a dentist, I'm like, I'm supposed to be really good at this, right? This is not a problem that I'm supposed to have, right? Because I tell other parents how to do this. Right. But you know, they're kids, right?
[00:04:43] Robert Geiman: And they all have personalities and. Some kids have, sometimes you have a good day, sometimes you have a bad day. And at the end of the day, we're all a little tired and maybe a little cranky. And it's like one of those things, especially at night before you go to bed, like, oh, don't forget to brush your teeth.
[00:04:57] Robert Geiman: Oh, was that 10 seconds or was that two minutes? Right? So, and then in the morning, in the morning, the bustle and bustle of the morning trying to get to the school bus, or whether it's childcare, whatever the situation is, um, you gotta make time for yourself. And making time for yourself is making time for your teeth.
[00:05:14] Robert Geiman: Because these things in your mouth have to, the adult teeth have to last forever, and the baby teeth have to last until the adult teeth get there. And that's part of why keeping the baby teeth healthy and strong is so important.
[00:05:25] Leah Clionsky: I think that is so relatable. The idea that you're like, I should be good at this. This is my whole job. And then when it's your kid, right? So now you have like emotions. You're not in work mode anymore and you don't even have the right equipment. Suddenly. It's so much harder to do than it would be if they were your patient in your office and you are seeing them every six months.
[00:05:46] Leah Clionsky: Totally different game changer.
[00:05:47] Robert Geiman: For sure, for sure. I agreed.
[00:05:49] Leah Clionsky: No, it's so wild how that can happen. Yeah. I actually, I was wondering, does it matter more about teeth brushing at night or in the morning, or are they equally important?
[00:06:01] Robert Geiman: Uh, I would say that they're both important. They're certainly both important. Uh, and in the ideal world, you'd really just to kind of brush after your meals, but practically speaking, that doesn't happen. Right? Most people are not carrying a toothbrush, especially a kid. So the idea of brushing before you're to go to bed.
[00:06:16] Robert Geiman: If, um, we're talking about young kids especially, uh, a lot of the foods they eat break down into carbohydrates or into sugars. So anything you leave on a tooth overnight, not brushed off, it's more or less gonna have eight to 10 hours. Hopefully your kids are sleeping eight to 10 hours, uh, eight to 10 hours of just go to town on a tooth, right?
[00:06:35] Robert Geiman: So sugars, so you have bacteria that breaks down and leads to. Uh, acid production and, and, and then that leads to, eventually to cavities, more or less holes in the teeth, right? Um, so that's the critical part of night, uh, brushing before bed, but then overnight also, uh, depending on how we breathe, right?
[00:06:57] Robert Geiman: Some kids are nasal breathing, which is preferred, and some kids are mouth breathing. The mouth breathers in particular, that's going to lead to, to further development of bacteria, um, and changing of the oral flora. Uh, and, uh. That's why our teeth are always a little, like sometimes they're slimy or they feel a little different in the morning than when we do before we go to sleep.
[00:07:16] Robert Geiman: 'cause stuff happens while we're sleeping. It's a moist, warm environment in the mouth, especially when there is an active saliva and we're not chewing and all that during the day. So I'd say, I'm not gonna fully answer your question. I'm gonna say both aren't for.
[00:07:29] Leah Clionsky: Both are important, but I'm also, I'm also wondering if you're like that really bad time, really, really bad time, and also
[00:07:34] Robert Geiman: Yeah. I mean, if you had to pick one, I guess yes, I would probably pick bedtime. Um, 'cause we had, you know, all day of eating. Um, but like morning breath is not great. Right?
[00:07:44] Leah Clionsky: No, no, that's true. None of those things are great.
[00:07:47] Robert Geiman: Yeah. The, the question that I get asked often, and I think this is like they're asking for the kids, but they're really asking for themselves. The parents, they're like, so should I brush before or after breakfast?
[00:07:57] Leah Clionsky: Oh yeah, that's true. People don't know.
[00:08:00] Robert Geiman: right, because you have either wake up and they make morning breath and you're gonna have coffee or whatever, and you're like, well, I just, uh, I feel like I have to brush 'cause I just woke up.
[00:08:07] Robert Geiman: Right? I feel like, Ugh, gross. I need to brush. But then I ate and I had something that stains my teeth and for adult coffee, right? Whatever a kid is having. Um, so I actually brush before and after breakfast, which is maybe a little bit of extra work. Um, but that's what I do, uh, with my kids. Uh, I just make sure they brush one time in the morning.
[00:08:28] Robert Geiman: Uh, I think it's, you gotta pick your battles, right? So we're gonna have a morning brush and an evening brush and whichever one it happens, you know, usually it's like, do they wake up on time? What's the order of events? Um, as long as you're getting one brush in the morning, I'm, I'm happy.
[00:08:42] Leah Clionsky: I like. I like how we all do that. As parents, we're like, I'm gonna ask this question. That is for me, but it's not embarrassing if I ask it for my children, and so I'm going to
[00:08:51] Robert Geiman: More acceptable.
[00:08:52] Leah Clionsky: Yeah, it's more acceptable and now I know the answer for myself. We do this
[00:08:56] Robert Geiman: sometimes they'll make the joke, well, you mean before or after coffee? To, to obviously the kid's not having coffee, but then they're like, oh, you know exactly after coffee. And I'm like, ah, you mean for yourself?
[00:09:04] Leah Clionsky: Both of my kids actually desperately want to drink coffee. They think it looks so cool. Like you wouldn't like it and you would be really hyper.
[00:09:11] Robert Geiman: It's an acquire taste and you have to go to bed at a right normal time.
[00:09:15] Leah Clionsky: Exactly, exactly. Coffee's for grownups. That's what we learned from Encanto.
[00:09:20] Robert Geiman: That's great movie.
[00:09:22] Leah Clionsky: Great movie. Absolutely. Well, I know you have some strategies so that this can be not such a painful process for everyone involved, and I know you have three of them. What can we do to focus on making sure that the brushing that gets done is good enough? Maybe not perfect, but good enough.
[00:09:42] Robert Geiman: So, um, so three strategies. So we'll call three strategies to Success. So the first tip or strategy I'm gonna call, um, put the time in. Uh, and that can mean a few things. You've, we all hear dentists say, brush for two minutes. And I, that's exactly what I say to my patients. I say. When I brush my teeth, I smile so I can see all my teeth and I'm actually going and brushing each tooth and I'm more or less counting, making sure I get, you know, the front of the tooth, the back of the tooth, and the chewing surface.
[00:10:12] Robert Geiman: And if you actually go through every tooth and every surface, you're gonna get two minutes because there's a lot of teeth right? But 120 seconds is a long time. And for a young kid it's like, it's crazy. It's like so much time, right? So I'm gonna say put the time in. But quality over quantity, right? If they're doing a good job brushing, applaud them, right?
[00:10:35] Robert Geiman: And it's okay if they don't go two minutes, as long as they're doing a good job. But putting the time in also means being there with them and actually checking to see if they're doing a good job. Right, because how does a kid necessarily know if they're doing a good job? They can't really see plaque, they can't really feel it.
[00:10:52] Robert Geiman: They might be able to feel if they have like food stuck between their teeth or something like that, but for the most part, you gotta help them. You have to teach them. Kind of leads into strategy number two.
[00:11:03] Leah Clionsky: can I ask you a quick question?
[00:11:04] Robert Geiman: Yes. Yes.
[00:11:05] Leah Clionsky: So if my 6-year-old is independently brushing, how often do I need to check and make sure that she's like actually mailing it? Do I need to check every time, like what's the least amount of checking I can get away with and still be responsible?
[00:11:19] Robert Geiman: So it's, it's a, it's a, that's not even a dental question, that's a parenting question. Right? Uh, because it's strategy, right? Because like, if you're on them all the time and checking every day, they're gonna be like, gonna push you away, right? Like, ugh, I don't need a check. I can do this on my own. Like, uh, leave me alone, or, I'm doing a good job.
[00:11:35] Robert Geiman: So. Uh, I think actually my tip number two is gonna, is gonna answer that question. Uh, so we're gonna call, uh, strategy number two, education and empowerment. So if you think they're doing a good job, you have to empower them. You have to tell 'em how good of a job they're doing, but sometimes it's hard to actually show them where they missed.
[00:11:52] Robert Geiman: So there are things called disclosing tablets. Um, maybe some of you have seen them at the dentist. They're more or less like a little pill, uh, like a very tiny little pill that, um. If you put it in your mouth and you swish it around, uh, it more or less will turn your plaque a color, maybe purple, maybe pink, maybe blue, just depending on the, on the company.
[00:12:12] Robert Geiman: And then the rest of your tooth is clean. It'll just be clear. So then the kids smiles and like most of the teeth are clear, but maybe by the gum line in the back, um, you see all sorts of dark purple or dark blue. So then they can actually see, oh, I guess I did miss a spot. Mom or dad wasn't just kind of giving me a hard time.
[00:12:32] Robert Geiman: Um, because I think the kids don't really know. Um, so I think educating them, um, and also educating them on like how to hold a toothbrush, right? Like dexterity, adults take a dexterity for granted. It's not that, it's not the most convenient thing to like, get in there, rotate, go this way, rotate again. Go this way.
[00:12:52] Robert Geiman: If your kid is a righty, their left side of the mouth is usually a lot cleaner than their right side of the mouth. If they're lefties in reverse, right? Because we, it's easier to go to the opposite side. And by the way, for the parents listening, it's probably the same for you too, right? Check out the difference between your right side and your left side.
[00:13:06] Robert Geiman: Um, so it's educating the kid. Um, and then of course when they do a good job, you have to tell 'em they're doing a good job. And it's parenting style, right? Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement. And when they're doing a bad job, you gotta explain it to them, show 'em how to do it, and then watch them do it.
[00:13:23] Robert Geiman: And then some point. Do it for them. Uh, to answer, to answer the exact question that you answered, asked. I more or less will brush my kids' teeth still like once a week. Um, more or less had a paranoia. Uh, 'cause I do see them come out of there after 30 seconds and I just say, go right back into the bathroom.
[00:13:42] Robert Geiman: That was like 10 seconds, you know, that wasn't two minutes. Uh, we have a, we, we have a timer, which I like. I. I have them use. I don't want to, I don't wanna micromanage completely, right? I want them to be able to do it, but they're kids at the end of the day, right? Um, we do go to the dentist, right? Like most people are supposed to bring their kids to the dentist every six months, and you're gonna get feedback, oh, there's a lot of plaque and calculus here.
[00:14:05] Robert Geiman: Or, Hey, you're doing a great job brushing. So that is a good kind of thing to think about, right? If you're getting positive feedback from the dentist, maybe you don't need to check as often and in reverse, um. If they're like, ah, this isn't good. We got all this buildup, and they should show you where the buildup is, then you're getting in there more frequently until you get until the next appointment.
[00:14:25] Robert Geiman: When you do get that hopefully positive report card back, an interesting thing is that as the kids get a little bit older, uh, and more independent, then it gets even harder because they really don't want you in there, and they may be making some of their own food choices and sugary food choices on their own.
[00:14:46] Robert Geiman: So that's when we have to really be careful about what they're doing.
[00:14:49] Leah Clionsky: You know, as you're talking about this, it sounds like it might be like a fun family experience. Men, like everyone brushed their teeth, everyone did a disclosing tablet. Everyone look, you know, like maybe that way it could be a game sort of. And kids love to be involved in games and they love to call you out
[00:15:06] Robert Geiman: I was just, just thinking that maybe it's a good time to like not brush your teeth well for a day on purpose. It's. Kind of weird to say, but Yeah. And that way you can have plaque and you're gonna know already you're gonna have plaque and they're like, oh my God, you have it too. And like, okay, we all have to work on brushing on our left side, or whatever it is.
[00:15:23] Robert Geiman: Yeah. I think that could be a fun game.
[00:15:25] Leah Clionsky: Yeah, if you try it, let me know. Now
[00:15:27] Robert Geiman: I, I will, I will.
[00:15:30] Leah Clionsky: All right, so two excellent strategies so far. It sounds like we
[00:15:34] Robert Geiman: got one more.
[00:15:35] Leah Clionsky: Oh, we're gonna get to three. All right. Number three.
[00:15:37] Robert Geiman: Yes. Um, so number three, we're gonna call it, make it fun. Uh, so, uh, even though I'm an orthodontist and I love teeth, uh, I understand that brushing your teeth maybe isn't the most exciting thing you do per day, uh, especially if you're a kid. So we have to find ways to make it more fun.
[00:15:54] Robert Geiman: Uh, I didn't say fun. I said more fun. Uh, so, um, whatever your kid likes, whether it's like superheroes or unicorns, you gotta maximize these things. So, for example, toothbrushes, right? So they have every, in our, in our world right now, they have every type of action hero or, or a TV character you can imagine on a toothbrush.
[00:16:17] Robert Geiman: So find one with the one they like. Tooth. Tooth, excuse me. Toothpaste, flavor. This is a big one. The usual brands, um, that we see, you know, uh, at the store, you'll see your mint, you'll see your fruit, maybe bubble gum, right? Um, but kids don't usually love mint. And sometimes I've found that giving them a kind of a funky flavor that they can choose.
[00:16:43] Robert Geiman: It goes a really long way. So for example, there's some toothpaste companies, um, like my kids are using right now. One kid is using, um, mermaid Popsicle, which is more or less orange, but it's called Mermaid Popsicle. Uh, and the other one is called Dazzle Dragon. Or Dragon Dazzle. Dragon Dazzle, excuse me, which is more or less blue raspberry, right?
[00:17:04] Robert Geiman: So like, these are funky, fruity colors, but. Know, Hey, which kid? Which, which, uh, which do you want to use? You wanna use the dragon one? Or do you want to use, or there's a unicorn one too. You wanna use unicorn today, or dragon one. And they, you know, they get to pick and it makes it just a little bit more, uh, more fun.
[00:17:20] Robert Geiman: Uh, and then of course they figure out what flavors they like and all that. And then flossing, which most people don't love to floss. Uh, kids, we talked about dexterity earlier. It's not that easy for a kid to go, you know, in between their teeth reaching all the way back. I, I didn't even really, I mean, I've tried a little bit with my kids, but there's almost no point when you have flossers out there.
[00:17:41] Robert Geiman: Flossers are so simple. Uh, a little tool, a little plastic tool with a little string of floss connected to it. And they also come in different colors and flavors and all that stuff so you can, you know, I think we have strawberry flavored right now in the house. Um, so, okay, so they're going in between their teeth and they get a little, little taste of strawberry leftover and something pops out, right.
[00:18:02] Robert Geiman: Um, flossing, uh, for parents, right? Flossing is extra important. Uh, really important when you have contact. So some kids we call the teeth in, in kids the primary dentition. So baby teeth, right? So a lot of times you have some spaces between your teeth. Well, you can't really floss something if the teeth are not actually touching.
[00:18:22] Robert Geiman: Um, but once they touch and there's a contact or a contact point. Um, that's when you gotta start flossing because that is when food's gonna get stuck there, food gets stuck there, leads to breakdown, leads to cavities, right? Um, so that's the, the critical time. And usually you're gonna have that more in the back than in the front, in the, in the kids indention.
[00:18:42] Robert Geiman: And then as we get older, and kids that may are a little bit more crowded, um, they're gonna need to floss a. Bit more.
[00:18:48] Leah Clionsky: So what I'm hearing in your three strategies is the first one is all about. Putting the time in, so going more over quality of brushing than over quantity of time. But if we could get them to two minutes, that would be amazing. And
[00:19:04] Robert Geiman: That's the ideal.
[00:19:05] Leah Clionsky: maybe a miracle. But if we could, that would be great. And if not, at least we're gonna go for quality.
[00:19:09] Leah Clionsky: Our second is educating kids and maybe using dissolving tot blitz as a family so that you can sort of see how good are they at brushing, helping them to actually see the invisible, um. Results of not brushing well enough. My kids today were asking me, I can't see the sugar bugs on my teeth, and I'm like, yeah, I wish you could.
[00:19:29] Leah Clionsky: That would make this so much
[00:19:30] Robert Geiman: would make it a lot easier. Well, the disclosing, the disclosing tablets will show you the sugar bugs.
[00:19:34] Leah Clionsky: Yeah. Yeah, I, I think I'm gonna do that with them this weekend. They'll really like that. And the third one, the third strategy is trying to have fun. And if that means having really zany flavors of toothpaste, really brightly colored toothbrushes, anything that's gonna get them on board where they have some choice, you know, cool animal flossers, any of those things are gonna be really, really powerful.
[00:19:55] Robert Geiman: Yeah. Any way to empower the kid the better.
[00:19:58] Leah Clionsky: What, quick question, what do you think about the, um, electric toothbrushes that are being marketed to us all the time? Do you think they're good? Do you think that they are problematic?
[00:20:08] Robert Geiman: I don't think they're problematic at all. I think, um, I think it's really person dependent. Uh, if you put the time in, which is strategy number one, you can succeed with any type of toothbrush. Really, the only thing that matters is soft. Bris. Um, but again, it's like everything. It depends on the kid. Some kids can go, uh, in the circular motion, get into all the surfaces of each tooth, and they have pristine hygiene.
[00:20:29] Robert Geiman: The beauty of an electric toothbrush is that that spinning motion or oscillating motion, it allows you to get into, uh, it's almost like a cheat code in a video game. You're like getting into those little, um, crevasses that maybe you, the toothbrush wouldn't have because the kid didn't. Put the time in or didn't get around the corner.
[00:20:48] Robert Geiman: So most people will say that the electric toothbrush, uh, gets more, um, gets to more places. The only caveat is a lot of kids, because they're using the electric toothbrush and they think it's better, they may not brush as long. So the, the question is, is it better to brush for 40 seconds with a manual toothbrush or 20 seconds with a electric toothbrush?
[00:21:12] Robert Geiman: And there's neither two minutes for both, right? Um, so that's, that's the real thing. It's the electric toothbrush is probably better. Um, but you still gotta put the time in.
[00:21:21] Leah Clionsky: Yeah, maybe that's where the disclosing tablet experiment could happen. Try both, see which one works better and kind of move forward. Yeah.
[00:21:30] Robert Geiman: Yeah. But again, like if your kid likes the electric toothbrush, great. Use it,
[00:21:33] Robert Geiman: right?
[00:21:33] Robert Geiman: If they don't like the vibration, then use a manual on it. It's whatever. We are just trying to do something good in there, right? I'll take anything I can get as a dentist and as a parent.
[00:21:44] Leah Clionsky: Yeah, that I think that's so helpful. I really appreciate you coming on and giving us all of this knowledge that we desperately need. That is a normal thing for all parents to have to pay attention to. Where can we find you? How can people access your book? Um, if people wanna connect with you after
[00:22:01] Robert Geiman: Yeah, probably the easiest way is directly through the book website, which is the tooth bible.com. Um, also on the website, there's a, there's, so there's a way to reach out to me. There's a link, you can click contact and it'll come right to me. And then there's also a, a smile shop on there. So for example, those disclosing tablets and, or like the fun toothpaste, uh, flavors, all that, all the products that myself and my co-author recommend are on there, on the list there.
[00:22:25] Robert Geiman: So, um, you can look at that and some of it might interest you.
[00:22:28] Leah Clionsky: That sounds amazing, and all of those links are available in the show notes. And it's really worth reading the tooth bow. Very, very helpful for parenting littles. So thank you so much again. I really appreciate you joining me today.
[00:22:40] Robert Geiman: Thank you for having me.