Parents could avoid emergency dentistry treatment for their children if they bribe them to take care of their dental hygiene, a writer has suggested.
Jeanne Sager told readers of The Stir that her daughter, who is currently in kindergarten, has developed a reluctance to brush her teeth – an issue that became more problematic when she was about to start losing her 'baby' dentures.
However, Ms Sager revealed that her dentist provided the little girl with a novelty toothbrush, which lights up and has a floating character in the handle, resulting in the child being excited about oral hygiene for the first time.
The writer explained: "[Cool toothbrushes] inject a little silliness into the process once she's in the bathroom, which relieves my burden a little. But getting her in there, with brush in hands, is my bigger battle."
Ms Sager added that she has established a reward scheme in order to instil the habit of lifelong emergency dentistry prevention in her daughter.
Last year, research revealed that millions of British parents are not enforcing a teeth-brushing routine, because they are too rushed or stressed.