Water is essential for good health and a fundamental component of oral hygiene. It helps clean the mouth in between brushing by washing food particles and bacteria away. But with all the sugary drinks available to kids, it may be hard to get them to drink water. The following tips, recommended by the pediatric dentists at Pedodontic Associates on Oahu and Maui, will help get your kids excited about drinking water.

How to Encourage Your Child to Drink Water

1. Infuse With Flavor

Infuse water with lemon, lime, mint, or cucumbers to make it tastier for your kids. Refrigerate a pitcher of water with your additions for several hours.

2. Make Flavored Ice Cubes

Puree fruit like strawberries or raspberries and freeze the mixture in an ice cube tray. The resulting ice cubes will flavor water as they melt. They also add a pop of color to a bottle or glass of water. Let your kids choose the flavors and shop for the fruit with you to get them even more excited about the process.

3. Personal Water Bottles

Let small children pick out their own reusable water bottle that they can hold easily. Encourage them to decorate the bottle with stickers, and help them keep track of how many bottles they drink a day with a chart on the fridge. Remind them to take the bottle to school to refill during the day and reward them for hitting their water goals. The amount of water your child should drink depends on their age and activity level. On average, six to eight cups per day is sufficient.

4. Be a Role Model

Kids learn how to behave from watching their parents. Drink water in front of your kids and explain to them why you do so in a positive way. Have a pediatric dentist explain the pros of water and the cons of sugary drinks. Don’t keep sports drinks, soda, or corn syrup-filled iced teas and juices at home, and order water for meals when eating out.

In addition to drinking water and practicing oral hygiene habits every day, children should see a pediatric dentist twice a year to maintain good oral health. Schedule your child’s next appointment with Pedodontic Associates. For over 25 years, these pediatric dentists have provided preventative and emergency dental care for babies, young children, and teens on Oahu and Maui. Call the location nearest you to make an appointment: (808) 735-1733 for Kahala, (808) 487-7933 for Aiea, and (808) 877-0066 for Kahului. You can also learn more about the practice from parents’ reviews online.