PEARL 41

Teeth Brushing

Kids, like the rest of us, love second chances. Those awful mistakes

they make aren’t nearly so haunting when they know there’s another
chance if they blow the first one.
One great opportunity for our children to have a second chance looks
right at us every time they flash us their big, happy grins. In fact, there
are twenty second chances staring at us — their baby teeth. Children are
given a whole mouthful to practice their brushing techniques on, and
when they’ve done that for eleven or twelve years, they’re given a brand-
new set. Getting kids to appreciate that opportunity can be a hassle
though. They grab their brush and tube after every meal with about the
same relish as we grab our calculator and tax forms every April. One
little swipe across the pearly whites with the bristles, and they’re ready to
get on with living.
We can allow our kids to get in on the ground floor of conscientious
dental hygiene and take the hassle out of the process all at the same time,
but we have to be good models. Letting them see us brushing our teeth is
effective, as is saying something like, “I just finished eating, and I think
I’d better go protect my teeth with a little brushing.”
Talking to our spouse is even more effective. One dad ended every
meal by saying to his wife, “I sure can’t go through the rest of the day
with all that sugar on my teeth and in my mouth. I’d better go take care of
it so I won’t have cavities.” He would then trot to the bathroom for a
thorough brushing. When he returned, he would say to his wife, “I’m sure
glad I did that. It took only a couple of minutes to get the job done, and I