How to encourage your children to brush longer and more often:

Top Ten Tips

Let them brush their teeth at the same time as you, so that they get to spend some time with you. With very young children, letting them brush your teeth while you brush theirs can work great (as long as you don't mind maybe getting poked with a toothbrush a few times!).
I pretend that we are searching for various things in their mouth and that brushing their teeth will help find them. For example, in the morning and then again at night, if a trip to the zoo was happening, then I would pretend that I am looking for their favourite animals like rhinos, gorillas, tigers, etc. We change what we are searching for every night, based on the day's activities. Since starting that, I get the job done at least twice a day with no crying or fighting it for my 3.5 year old and 22 month old daughters.
Use a character type toothbrush i.e. cars, wall-e, Hannah Montana, Toy Story.
The electric toothbrushes work well to get my girls to brush longer.
Do what you can to keep them engaged and make it a fun routine. We use character toothbrushes and toothpaste. We sing songs during brushing to keep them brushing for a certain amount of time, too.
Have your child pick out their toothbrush and dental floss to make it fun. We buy 2 different toothbrushes. One manual one for the morning and one electric one for the evening. So it's never boring!
Starting very young is essential, because then they don't see it as having a choice. But if you are struggling I think the reward system works well.
Try to make it as fun as possible. Make a game out of it - maybe they win a prize(s) for how long and how often they brush. I.e. you could use a chart to record when and how long they brush and use stickers on the chart to keep a record and then when they fill up their chart they can get a prize.
Make it a routine. Encourage their participation.
Let them watch you brush your teeth; they like to mimic what they see.

Make it fun and start early. I think if you start brushing teeth early then it becomes part of their routine. I also sing lots of songs and let my son brush his teeth himself, that way it's fun and he feels like he can do it himself (I help him to make sure he gets all his teeth).
Do what you can to keep them engaged and make it a fun routine. We use character toothbrushes and toothpaste. We sing songs during brushing to keep them brushing for a certain amount of time, too.
Brush with your child the enjoy watching you and the learn to brush as well as having fun.
Do it all together, and make it fun. We play music and dance around while we are brushing.
Brushing can be made fun for kids as they get to play with water also.
Have your child pick out their toothbrush and dental floss to make it fun. I buy different dental flosses - they have great character ones now. We also buy 2 different toothbrushes. One manual one for the morning and one electric one for the evening. So it's never boring!
Let them brush themselves, or let them brush your teeth while you brush theirs, brush teeth in the bathtub, make it fun.
Stress the importance of having clean teeth and have a tooth brushing routine (after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner/before bed). Play a game while brushing their teeth such as 'I can see some meat - yep - got it! Oh - there's a raisin. Got it' etc.
Start them early with a finger toothbrush to get them used to the feeling and repetition of it. Brush your teeth with your child to show them that you take care of your teeth as well.
Try using an electric toothbrush, it is more exciting and helps them clean better than on their own.
Make it fun & brush together with kids!
Sing songs like 'We brush our teeth'. Make it into a game. My son loves to brush his teeth because I always make a big deal of it with singing a silly song. He is 14 months old.
Starting very young is essential, because then they don't see it as having a choice. But if you are struggling I think the reward system works well.
Patience and persistence.
Try to make it as fun as possible. Make a game out of it - maybe they win a prize(s) for how long and how often they brush. I.e. you could use a chart to record when and how long they brush and use stickers on the chart to keep a record and then when they fill up their chart they can get a prize.
Make it a routine. Encourage their participation.
Let them watch you brush your teeth; they like to mimic what they see.
Give them a song to sing timed to approximately 2 minutes to make it fun for them.
Get them involved in the brushing. Kids always like to learn new things.
Getting a special song that is made for brushing teeth for a specific time works. Play that song while they brush their teeth.
Make it part of the routine, make it light and fun, do whatever it takes to make it painless for them. I've sang songs during the brushing to keep them entertained and ensure a certain length of time brushing.
This a rule in our house there is no negotiating. I allow my children to brush first and then I take over and brush for them.
Play a song that they like and they have to brush their teeth for the length of the song. Try to find a toothpaste that they like and they will want to brush their teeth. Have younger children brush their teeth with their older siblings they learn by watching.
Just keep trying. Brush your teeth with them. Brush their toys teeth (pretend to!). Make it part of your bedtime/morning routine with them.
Make it fun. Allow the child to brush first, followed by the parent doing a more thorough brushing (For very young children). Keep the routine so the child always knows she has to brush in the morning and evening...it keeps fighting over brushing minimal when the child knows what to expect. Also using a timer (hourglass like they have in board games) may motivate older children, or brushing until their favourite song on the radio is over!!
Try to make it fun. Buy colorful toothbrushes, something they would like. Make sure the head of the toothbrush is small enough to clean their teeth properly. Brush your teeth at the same time as they brush theirs. Play music, use a timer, etc.
Brush your teeth together...my son wants to do things that my husband and I do, so we let him brush his teeth in the bathroom with us in the morning...he looks forward to it.
Use a character type toothbrush i.e. cars, wall-e.
I would tell them that they have to make it fun for the child .My 4 kids and I make it fun by taking turns singing to each other while the other ones are brushing or flossing. If your kids see you brush your teeth twice a day then they are going to copy cat you. As we all know young children LOVE to do what their parents and older brothers and sisters do. So keep up the great brushing!
I sing the alphabet song while I brush her teeth. It tends to keep her occupied just long enough for me to get her teeth clean.
Brush the "teeth" of some of their play friends (dolls, toy/stuffed animals, trucks, boats - anything they are familiar & comfortable with) to demonstrate what is going to happen - front, sides - inside and outside. When we started, we used to have to do 2-3 friends (real quick) first before she would do it.
Encourage their children to brush often and longer by saying how much you love to see their teethe shiny white, have them smile after brushing to show off their lovely white teeth and say that you wish you teeth were as white and shiny as theirs.
The electric toothbrushes work well to get my girls to brush longer.
Use a toothbrush with a character they like.
We put our daughter on a stool and have a mini mirror that she looks into. We help her for the first part and then let her do it herself...it works great and then we always make a huge deal about how shiny her teeth are!!
Let them brush their teeth at the same time as you, so that they get to spend some time with you. With very young children, letting them brush your teeth while you brush theirs can work great (as long as you don't mind maybe getting poked with a toothbrush a few times!).
I pretend that we are searching for various things in their mouth and that brushing their teeth will help find them. For example, in the morning and then again at night, if a trip to the zoo was happening, then I would pretend that I am looking for their favourite animals like rhinos, gorillas, tigers, etc. We change what we are searching for every night, based on the day's activities. Since starting that, I get the job done at least twice a day with no crying or fighting it for my 3.5 year old and 22 month old daughters.