Over the summer I took my kids for dental exams with their new pediatric dentist. My five year old had her teeth cleaned and the dentist discovered that she had a couple of cavities. I was frustrated, since we are pretty good about brushing. The dentist asked me not about how often I brush her teeth (which is important, too, of course), but about how I brush them.

I gave him a demonstration, and he then offered to show me an easier and more effective way. Here's how it works:

• You sit on the toilet (close the lid first!) with your feet apart.
• Your child stands between your legs, with her back to you.
• Have your child hook her arms over your legs, lower her body, and tilt her head back.

It really does make it easier to see what you're doing and to reach those back teeth. My daughter wants to brush her own teeth, so our compromise is that I brush and floss her teeth at night, and she brushes and flosses in the morning.

Do you have any tooth brushing and flossing secrets?