SONGS, LIGHTS TELL BRUSHING TIME By Paul Clark WNC Parent contributor
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here are plenty of children’s toothbrushes in nifty shapes and colors. But there are also some that light up and sing for as long as your children are supposed to brush. Your kids could be brushing “Gangnam Style” with PSY, the South Korean rock star. He sings his song (the video is the biggest hit on YouTube ever) to your child through a toothbrush made by BrushBuddies (available online). The song plays for two minutes, which is the length of time dentists recommend children spend brushing their teeth. “You can get a lot of bells and whistles on them,” said Dr. William Chambers at Great Beginnings Pediatric and Adolescent Dental Specialists. “Toothbrushes have big handles now, so they’re easier for children to use. The size of the brush heads vary with the size of the kids so that they can get into different places” in their mouths. “And toothbrushes have got timers now. Toothbrush designers are always trying to invent a better mousetrap.” Chambers recommends children brush for 2-4 minutes and suggests that children without a brush that busts out rhymes use a sand hourglass. It may be difficult to get them to brush that long, but they may be persuaded if they chew “disclosing” tablets afterward that show plaque they missed in bright purple or red. Firefly, available at Walmart, Kmart, Walgreens and elsewhere (as well as a host of sites online), sells toothbrushes that light up for 60 seconds at a time, indicating to children how long they should brush their upper teeth and lower teeth. Encased batteries expire every three months, telling parents it’s time to change brushes.
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RADIUS Kidz
Firefly toothbrushes
Tiny figures float in sparkles in Firefly’s toothbrush for children 2 to 4 years old. For children 5 to 7, its sculpted light-up toothbrushes have handles in the shapes of Spider-Man and Barbie. Firefly’s model for kids 8 and older is in the shapes of Hello Kitty and Hot Wheels. Firefly also has a “Ready Go” brush that mimics a traffic light — green for “go,” yellow for halfway done and red for finished. Its suctioncup holder allows it to be stored upright on the counter for less clutter and improved hygiene. The American Dental Association-approved toothbrush, available at Target, comes in a
GUM’s Star Wars Lightsaber
choice of characters — Barbie, Spider-Man, Angry Birds or original FireFly. Operating on the same light-up principle, GUM’s Star Wars Lightsaber toothbrushes, found at CVS, Target, Walgreens and online, have LED lights that make the entire brush glow for 60 seconds in blue, green or red, depending on the brush’s Star Wars character (Yoda, Darth Vader or Anakin Skywalker). GUM also makes an oscillating power toothbrush that looks like a big Crayola crayon. The RADIUS Kidz toothbrushes for children 6 and older, available at Whole Foods and the Vitamin Shoppe (as well as online) come in fun colors. All feature a thumb mount and an angled neck and are BPA-free. EcoFly makes an environmentally friendly timer toothbrush that emits a water conservation educational rap song. Available online, it and its packaging are biodegradable and printed with soy ink. It’s the rare child who brushes correctly and for as long as necessary before age 6, Chambers said. Parents should follow up on their efforts. They may need to do the children’s flossing until the kids about 8 years old. For parents who want their children to use spin brushes, the timer feature on Philips Sonicare rechargeable electric toothbrush for children, available at Target and online, will prompt them when the recommended two minutes are up. Kids can customize the machine with interchangeable panels. Arm & Hammer also makes a battery-operated spin brush that comes with 141 stickers for customizing the brush. The company also makes battery-powered toothbrushes that pump out tunes for two minutes at a time.
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