Brushing teeth failure

[felkov]

DD is 9months old with 8 teeth and HATES me trying to brush them. She screams and squirms and hits me and clamps her mouth shut. I feel like a delinquent parent as I don't do it every day but its just such a battle. Any tips to make it easier?

[fiveacres]

Brush baby

www.amazon.co.uk/Brush-Baby-112-Chewable-Toothbrush-Blue/dp/B003469LAM/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1433352238&sr=1-2&keywords=brush%20baby&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

I also use the wipes with my 14 month old DD:

www.amazon.co.uk/Brush-Baby-BRB042-Dental-Wipes-28s/dp/B00CTQ73BW/ref=pd_bxgy_75_text_y?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

It's so much easier than struggling with clamped together lips and crying.

[Ashmumtojack]

I make it into a game with my 9 month old. Sing a silly song and make him laugh. Then I give him the toothbrush to play with and generally he puts it in his own mouth and tries to brush his teeth

[TheseSoles]

My eldest had a lot of teeth at that age too - we used to wrap her in a towel or hold her on our lap from behind with arm around her arms and chest and leg over her legs so she couldn't kick or hit out. It was still sometimes a 2 person job to get the toothbrush in! She did get used to it eventually though and her teeth are fine which is the important thing.

[TheseSoles]

Obviously that approach is the last resort! Sometimes brush mummys teeth then brush your teeth etc works and some days it doesn't.

[Eigg]

Sorry, you have to do it every day.

If you have to pin her down do that. Screaming is excellent because she'll open her mouth.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but it's really, really important.

It's a phase - it wears off.

[fiveacres]

It's amazing how much baby bites hurt!

[fiveacres]

Eigg - sometimes, you can't. With my DD (14 months) as soon as you go into her mouth she clamps it shut. I've been bitten before and it bloody hurts!

I use the brush baby and the wipes but I can't conventionally clean her teeth, as I need both arms to pin her down with!

[BabyOnBoob]

I thought I'd never do it but I hold my 11 month old dd's arms down while she's facing me sat on my knee and do it really quickly while her mouth's open screaming!

Tried making it into a game etc but it does always end up in screaming so I just get it done right quick now. It's too important not to do IMO.

[BabyOnBoob]

Ooh sorry I forgot, you could try the strawberry flavoured toothpaste. Little Kitty or something, that's what we use.

[Husbanddoestheironing]

I used to tickle and pull faces to tease my two into opening their mouths by making them giggle at that age, might be worth a try. Certainly less traumatic than them screaming.

[felkov]

thanks all.

i know its important, but I am hoping to cut down on being bitten/hit/screamed at while i try to prize her jaw open every night. it is becoming a total battle to get anything in her mouth especially when she's tired at night

the towl wrapping might work and i like the look of the Brush baby so will try both of those and see if it helps.

[felkov]

amd I'll look out for flavoured toothpaste too!

tickling and giggling might be good in the morning when she's more playful. at bedtime i try to keep it boring and calm in the vain hope it'll help her go to sleep better!

[hazeyjane]

I used to (and sometimes still do at nearly 5!) wrap Ds in a towel, much easier to control flailing arms, lying them backwards when wrapped helps with keeping the mouth open.

A dentist told me to get her to crunch an apple and /or carrots last thing and then smear toothpaste on after if all else failed

Surely apples are full of acidic fruit sugar! Also you shouldn't clean teeth for at least 30 minutes after cleaning, as you end up brushing the sugars into the teeth.

[toldmywrath]

I was told not to brush my teeth for an hour after eating as it can damage the enamel (I think 30 minutes is the correct amount of time to wait though)
It is really important to clean teeth & not to give sweet or sugary stuff in bottles , especially at night when there's no chance of cleaning teeth until the morning.
Rant over

[longbottom]

I took DD and let her choose a tooth brush, and strawberry flavoured toothpaste did the trick.
I did pin her down a few times too!
I've got terrible teeth due to my mum not bothering with dental hygiene when we were younger.

[mrsspooky]

My ds loves the chewable toothbrush, he has that one at night usually and just chews it for ages while I do stories before bed, definiately worth a try as its a very different thing from a toothbrush.

Ive also found he super loves the thomas the tank toothpaste we got from superdrug so finding a tasty one may help(I have to stop him eating it neat).

He enjoys watching me and dh do our teeth or other people - tombliboos (in the night garden) always do their teeth which may help?
Ive never forced it but if he refuses because hes too busy I just leave the toothbrush near him and say he can do them when hes ready, and he then goes to it pretty soon. What about giving it to her in the bath as a fun thing while you do yours, would that work?
My ds also really loves toothbrush shopping and getting to choose one, and then is always more keen when its a new one.

Just some ideas of whats worked for me. sounds like your dd really really hates it though so that must be so hard. When ds does refuse I just say, well we do have to do our teeth dont we, so Il do them shall I, and then say 1-2-3 and do them quick, and he seems to accept that, maybe as there is nice warning or something?

[lisaloulou84]

I've had this battle lately with my 15 month who has 12 teeth so really important to get right around his mouth, bought a baby sonic electric toothbrush, was about £8. I think he just finds it intriguing and it's really helped.

[felkov]

I really want her to like, or at least tolerate it, in the same way that nappy changes can sometimes be a bit of a wrestle but i can usually distract her with a toy which ironically she will usually chew

Strawberry toothpaste sounds popular so thank you for that suggestion.

I'll save choosing her own toothbrush for when she's older and can understand it a bit more. What age did/does that help?

[Littlef00t]

I posted something v similar recently about my 14mo and decided to bite the bullet and force her if she resists.

This last week I've been really strict and after nicey nicey fails hold both arms in one hand and force the toothbrush in, making the most of the yelling.

The first day or two she was quite upset afterwards, but quickly accepted it and was immediately fine once I'd finished, today she actually let me brush her bottom teeth without fuss so I'm hoping she's getting that it's non negotioable and things will keep improving.

[mrsspooky]

I cant remember when my ds started getting to choose his toothpaste, hes 19months now but Im sure that a year ago we were doing it maybe? When I say choose though, there is only ever like 1 choice, he just gets to see it on the shelf and I make a thing of it being a new toothbrush for him etc.

[hazeyjane]

I just leave the toothbrush near him and say he can do them when hes ready, and he then goes to it pretty soon.

I'm sure that you do, but it is important to keep doing the main bit of brushing for them, until they are about 6 or 7 and can reliably be trusted to do it properly themselves.

[mrsspooky]

Yes he/we always do them at least twice a day. Am I doing it wrong letting him mostly do them? Do you have to do their teeth till they are 6/7? crikey now Im worried.I thought he was doing well by enjoying it, he does it for a good long time,and if he doesnt I do them for him. Surely with the chewable toothbrushes they are ok to do it themselves arent they? I see the dentist next week so will have to check Im doing it ok for him!

[mrsspooky]

Oh the NHS say supervise teethbrushing till 6/7! phew! oh yes hes always supervised certainly! I couldnt imagine forcebrushing ds's teeth till he was 6/7!

[hazeyjane]

As a general rule, dentists suggest you brush and floss your child's teeth for him until he's coordinated enough to tie his own shoes, usually around age 6. Even at that point you should still remain involved to be sure he's brushing properly. A kid as young as 18 months may try to grab his toothbrush and want to brush by himself and it's fine to let him practice, as long as you follow up with a proper cleaning afterward

This was very similar to the advice we had from our dentist. I think as long as you are supervising the brushing closely it is ok.

We have a nightmare history of tooth issues, so I am probably hyper vigilant!