We all know that brushing our teeth is not necessarily our favorite activity. Sure, sometimes it can be nice to have that minty fresh feeling after a dinner of tacos, but most of the time we’re ready to climb into bed, head off to work, or do something else. However, it’s important to spend adequate time brushing your teeth. Most dentists recommend between 2 and 3 minutes per brushing. Here’s some ideas for you and your kids to ensure that you, and they, spend sufficient time brushing your teeth.

If your kids actually like their toothbrush for reasons beyond enjoying brushing their teeth, they’ll be more likely to do it or look forward to it. Whether it’s Dora the Explorer, Transformers, or other imagery like flowers or cars, having a bright, colorful, and fun toothbrush for your kid makes the process more fun to them.

Many of us keep clocks in the bathroom so we can keep an eye on the time while we get ready in the morning. Taking just a second to glance at the time when you begin brushing your teeth and then brushing until three minutes have passed is a great, unobtrusive way to make sure you brush for long enough. And if you don’t have a clock in your bathroom currently, buying one and simply putting it on a shelf in the bathroom can also serve as a reminder to brush for 2-3 minutes every time.

Many electric toothbrushes have a timer feature that ensure you brush for enough time. You just turn on the toothbrush and it will continue running until 3 minutes have passed, and it automatically turns off. Electric toothbrushes also offer the extra benefit of providing an even better clean than a traditional toothbrush alone.

Similarly, some children’s electric toothbrushes play a song while turned on and you can instruct your child to continue brushing until the song ends. We’ve even seen toothbrushes out there with hit pop songs on them so that your child can brush along to their favorite tunes.

Brushing our teeth is not always the most fun activity, but it is extremely important and using some of these tips, like humming a song, having a clock nearby, or using an electric toothbrush can ensure that you spend adequate time brushing your teeth. We promise your teeth will thank you!