One of parents and guardians’ most significant responsibility is teaching their kids the skills they need to live a happy, healthy life. For instance, demonstrating how to care for their teeth and gums properly can help them prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral issues.
Many children struggle with keeping their teeth clean consistently, but a recent study has found that praise from their parents encourages more active participation. Continue reading to learn more about it so you can help your little one build their best smile.
How Did Researchers Study Children’s Response to Praise During Toothbrushing?
In 2021, a study was published in Child Development by researchers at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Sane Fe Institute, which analyzed the daily toothbrushing behaviors of one-to-three-year-olds and how parental praise impacted the activity.
This involved having parents submit a video of their child during their daily dental hygiene routine for 16 consecutive days to capture their engagement as well as the parent’s conversation and encouragement. Parents were asked to allow their kids to brush by themselves for as long as possible before stepping in to help. They also tracked the types of praise parents used when reinforcing good behavior and broke them into categories. These included “process praise” like “Good job!”, “person praise” like “Good girl/boy!”, and “other praise” to capture comments like “Very good!” or “Nice!”
Researchers also collected daily surveys from parents to track their nightly stress level, their little one’s mood that day, and how much sleep they got.
What Did the Study Reveal About Praise During Toothbrushing?
The findings showed that the kids brushed longer on the days in which their parents used more praise and less instruction, and that mostly generic and process praise seemed to be preferred. This could be partly because personal praise alludes to an inherent set of abilities that lead a child to feel like they can’t make a mistake or mess up.
Although the study included a small sample, it reveals that there is some connection between a child’s behavior, their willingness to participate in their daily dental hygiene routine, and the type of encouragement they receive. Additional study is needed on larger samples to determine unknown factors, like whether income, education level, or political affiliation impact how parents might motivate their children to engage in healthy habits.
If your little one drags their heels when it comes time to brush and floss, remember that a positive attitude and kind words can be incredibly effective!
About the Practice
At Sprout Dentistry for Kids, your family benefits from two board-certified experts who offer a full array of services conveniently under one roof. Dr. Justin Chan and Dr. Sage Yoo share 15+ years of combined experience helping people from 0 to 18 years old build their happiest, healthiest smiles. Whether your child needs a basic checkup and cleaning or has a more complex concern, they can help! They customize treatments to meet your kid’s unique needs and then utilize state-of-the-art equipment to increase their comfort while delivering accurate results. You can request an appointment on the website or call (469) 301-3212.